Prolonged pancreas preservation using a simplified UW solution containing polyethylene glycol

The University of Wisconsin solution is considered the most effective universal flush and cold storage solution to date, and is now being widely applied clinically in organ transplantation. The results of this study show that Cardiosol, a modified cardioplegic solution containing 5% polyethylene glycol (PEG20M, MW 17,000 daltons), is significantly superior to UW (P less than 0.001) in the flush perfusion and hypothermic storage of pancreases for more than 36 hr prior to transplantation into streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. When the pancreases were stored in Cardiosol, the 1-week survival rate was 7 of 10 (70%) after 24 hr of preservation; 7 of 12 (58%) after 36 hr; and 3 of 10 (30%) after 48 hr. In contrast, when the pancreases were stored in UW solution, the 1-week survival rate was 8 of 12 (67%) after 24 hr of preservation; after 36 hr, no animal survived (0 of 14). Intravenous glucose tolerance test K-values (decline in glucose concentration, percentage per minute) were normal in both groups receiving 24-hr-preserved pancreases, ranging from 2.60 to 4.16. Of interest, the peak insulin response 1 min following intravenous glucose was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in the Cardiosol-preserved organs (303 +/- 29.8 microU/ml) (+/- SEM) than in the glands preserved in UW solution (112 +/- 47.9 microU/ml). We conclude that Cardiosol allows prolonged whole organ pancreas preservation in the rat transplant model.