Assessment of a chloride-containing vs. a chloride-poor modified HTK solution in a rat liver transplantation model

Aims: We recently developed a modified preservation solution on the basis of histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution. Recent in vitro studies on cold-induced cell injury revealed detrimental effects of extracellular chloride during cold storage of isolated rat hepatocytes while the influence of chloride on various endothelial cells was beneficial. In order to find out which of these effects predominates in vivo, we here tested a chloride-poor vs. a chloride-containing variant (0.04 vs. 34.04 mM Cl-) of the new solution in a rat liver transplantation model. Materials and methods: The study, carried out…