Recovery of heart function following 24 hours preservation and ectopic transplantation.

We examined the capacity of hearts injured during 24 hours of preservation to recover function over 96 hours when placed in an ectopic transplant configuration. Standard Langendorff techniques employing an intraventricular balloon and fixed perfusion pressure of 80 mm Hg were used to measure parameters of myocardial function, including maximal systolic pressure, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, and left ventricular balloon volume. Hearts preserved for 24 hours and held ischemic for 1 hour at room temperature exhibited significantly depressed contractility (maximal systolic pressure decreased by 26%) and diastolic compliance (left ventricular balloon volume decreased by 61%). During 96 hours in the ectopic transplant configuration, 24-hour preserved hearts recovered 52% of the lost diastolic compliance. These data demonstrate that 24-hour preserved and transplanted hearts recovered function over 96 hours.