The beneficial effect of prostacyclin analogue (OP 2507) on rat liver transplantation subjected to an extended anhepatic phase

We investigated the effect of a prostacyclin analogue (OP 2507) on PVG (RT1^c) recipients subjected to an extended anhepatic phase (AH) and transplanted orthotopically with PVG livers. All of the animals that underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with a 20-min AH survived for 1 week with or without OP 2507 (OP) treatment (10/10, 100%). When the AH was lengthened to 45 min, the 1-week survival rate of recipients was poor in OP-untreated groups (1/10, 10%). Treatment of the recipient with OP 2507, 0.15 g/kg per minute for 30 min, prior to the 45-min AH substantially improved 1-week survival (5/6, 83.3%, P<0.05). The serum TNF- level at day 1 in OP-treated animals that underwent OLT with a 45-min AH was significantly lower than that in animals with 45-min AH OLT without OP treatment. We conclude that OP 2507 treatment has potential usefulness as a perioperative treatment when the AH is extended during OLT.