Effect of university of wisconsin and histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate preservation solutions on blood potassium levels of patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation

Background

The potassium content of University of Wisconsin solution (UW) is 125 mEq/L and that of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution (HTK) only 9 mEq/L. The aim of the present study was to analyze their effects to change potassium levels on reperfusion among patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation.

Methods

Anesthesia records of adult living-donor liver transplant patients were reviewed retrospectively. Patients received liver graft preserved in UW were grouped in group I (GI) and HTK in group II (GII). The potassium levels in the anheptic phase were compared with those 5 minutes after reperfusion using paired Student t tests. P values of <.05 were regarded to be significant.

Results

Eighty-five GI patients showed the potassium significantly decreased from 3.76 ± 0.70 to 3.60 ± 0.74, whereas the change among 355 GII patients was almost unremarkable: 4.00 ± 0.57 to 3.96 ± 0.06 mEq/L.

Conclusions

Although UW contains a higher potassium content, it seems to have no negative impact on changes in serum potassium levels; in contrast it decreased the potassium level significantly at 5 minutes after reperfusion. Both preservation solutions maintain the patients' potassium levels within the normal range.