Abstract
Some technical improvements were made in heterotopic heart transplantation in the rat.
1 : In the donor operation the small vessel in the fat tissue between the aorta and pulmonary artery must be ligated to prevent post operative bleeding.
2 : In the recipient operation two methods were used to prevent injury to the carotis. One method is to hold the extension of the cuff, and the other is to hold the body of the cuff in a fine mosquito clamp or small clamp on which an appropriate patch is placed.
3 : In the recipient operation three methods were used to keep the jugular vein in its natural position. The first method is to hold the extension of the cuff in a mosquito clamp, the second method is to clamp the jugular vein and the extension of the cuff together, and the third method is to apply two staying sutures, one to the left side one and to the right side of the pulmonary artery of the donor heart.
4 : In the recipient operation, when the venous return is not sufficient and the left auricle begins bulging with blood, the left auricle must be ligated to maintain the transplanted heart in a good position.
5 : When the bleeding of the transplanted heart cannot be controlled conservatively, the heart has to be removed immediately and another donor heart transplanted.
The important point in this operation are summarized below.
An operation is required to prevent thrombosis of the carotis and to secure venous blood return in the transplanted heart.
Acknowledgement : I wish to thank Prof. Sir Roy Calne and the staff of Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge for permitting us to use their laboratories and for kind help in studying organ transplantation in both man and animals.
