Simplified rat lung transplantation using a cuff technique

A cuff technique is introduced to anastomose pulmonary vein and pulmonary artery in rat lung transplantation. In 11 consecutive cases, the average graft ischemic time was 13.5 ± 2.0 minutes and operating time 100.7 ± 4.8 minutes: The time for ischemia was less than one third of previous reports and the time for operation one half of previous reports. Excluding two operative deaths, the survival rate was 88.8% (8/9) on postoperative day 11, when contralateral pneumonectomy revealed excellent graft function supporting the oxygenation of the animals.