Metabolism of prostaglandins in porcine liver transplantation with a graft harvested after 30- and 60-minute warm ischemia

The influence of warm ischemia on the metabolism of prostaglandins was investigated using a pig liver transplantation model employing the temporary portal arterialization technique. Eighteen pigs were divided into three groups according to warm ischemia time: 0 min (group I,n=6), 30 min (group II,n=6), and 60 min (group III,n=6). During portal arterialization, the hepatic venous prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) level in group III (3356.0±1011.8pg/ml) was significantly higher than that in group I (831.7±182.1pg/ml;P=0.0285). The hepatic venous PGE₂ levels were significantly higher than the arterial counterparts in all groups both at the beginning and during portal arterialization. At 60 min after portal revascularization, the arterial PGE₂ level in group III (886.7±268.0pg/ml) was significantly higher than that in groups I (99.0±18.6 pg/ml;P=0.0116) and II (204.2±65.4pg/ml;P=0.0282). Neither thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) nor 6-keto PGF_1α showed any significant differences. In conclusion, the intra-operative changes of PGE₂ thus reflected the degree of warm ischemic damage, and PGE₂ could also be released from the graft. On the other hand, the increased levels of TXB₂ and 6-keto PGF_1α were throught to have an extrahepatic origin.