Coronary Angiography During Ex-Situ Heart Perfusion in a Porcine Model

Summary

Screening for coronary artery disease could increase the procurement of donor hearts with extended criteria. A protocol for performing reproducible coronary angiography during ex-situ heart perfusion is described herein in a porcine model.

Abstract

Heart transplantation is the gold standard treatment for advanced heart failure. The procurement of extended criteria donors (ECD) increases due to the current organ shortage. Coronary angiography is recommended in ECD at risk for coronary artery disease but is not systematically performed. These hearts are, therefore, either declined for transplant or procured without screening for coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography during normothermic ex-situ heart perfusion (NESP) could be an interesting approach to enhance the rate of ECD procurement and to reduce the risk of primary graft failure in the absence of coronary angiography in ECD. The present protocol aims to provide material details along with optimal imaging views for coronary angiography during NESP. Reproducible angiographic views were observed, including one dedicated to the right coronary artery, two for the left anterior descending artery, two for the circumflex artery, and a spider view. Continuous lactate extraction was observed in all procedures with a final median concentration of 1.10 mmol/L (0.61-1.75 mmol/L) two hours after coronary angiography, consistent with myocardial viability. The median contrast agent volume used for ex-situ imaging of the isolated perfused heart was 48 mL (38-108 mL). This protocol was reproducible for coronary artery imaging and did not impair myocardial viability during NESP.

Introduction

Heart transplantation is the gold standard therapy for advanced heart failure^1,2. However, this treatment is limited by the current organ shortage, leading to increased allocation of extended criteria donors (ECD), who are more frequently exposed to coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary angiography is recommended in France to prevent the risk of primary graft failure related to CAD if the donor's age is greater than 55 years or 45 years with two cardiovascular risk factors³. Even though coronary angiography increases the chances of graft acceptance by 9%, this procedure is perform....

Protocol

All pigs received humane care in compliance with the 'Principles of Laboratory Animal Care' formulated by the National Society for Medical Research and the 'Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals' prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources and published by the National Institutes of Health (Eighth Edition, 12910. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2011). This study design was approved by the French Ministry of Research for the use of animals for scientific purposes (protoc.......

Discussion

This study describes, for the first time, a protocol for coronary angiography on an isolated beating heart without compromising myocardial metabolic viability during Normothermic Ex-situ Heart Perfusion (NESP). The views were reproducible, allowing for a comprehensive anatomical analysis of the coronary network. The required contrast agent volume was approximately 50 mL and rarely exceeded 100 mL. In comparison, the average volume used for in vivo coronary angiography is twice as much, ranging between 1.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
3T Heater Cooler System	Liva Nova, Châtillon, France	IM-00727 A	Extracorporeal Heater Cooler device
4-0 polypropylene suture	Peters, bobigny, France	20S15B	sutures
5-0 polypropylene suture	Peters, bobigny, France	20S10B	sutures
Adenosine	Efisciens BV, Rotterdam, Netherlands	9088309	Drugs for the ex-vivo perfusion
Adrenaline	Aguettant, Lyon, France	600040	Drugs for the ex-vivo perfusion
ADW software	General Electric Healthcare, Chicago, Ill, USA	ADW_IGS730/ M5173653	Software used for the coronary angiography visualization
Atracurium	Pfizer Holding France, Paris, France	582547	Drugs for the induction of the anesthesia
CG4 +	Abbott, Chicago, Ill, USA	03P85-25	Lactates and blood gas cartridge for the blood analyzer machine
CG8 +	Abbott, Chicago, Ill, USA	03P88-25	Ionogram cartridge for the blood analyzer machine
DeltaStream	Fresenius Medical Care, L’Arbresle, France	MEH2C4024	Extracorporeal blood pump
Discovery IGS 7	General Electric Healthcare, Chicago, Ill, USA	Discovery IGS7.3 / M5173652	Angiography system for hybrid operating room
DLP Aortic Root Cannula	Medtronic Inc. Minneapolis, Minneapolis, USA	ref. 11012, 12.5 inch	Aortic Root Cannula
External pacemaker	Medtronic Inc. Minneapolis, Minneapolis, USA	5392	Pacemaker device
Fresinus Agilia injectomat	Fresenius vial , Brezins, France	018010/20640320	Syringe driver
Glucose 5%	B.Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany	3400891780017	Drugs for the priming solution
Haemonetics leukocyte filter	Haemonetics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA	RS1VAE	Leukocyte Filter
Heart Perfusion Set, Organ Care System	Transmedics, Andover, MA, USA	Ref#1200	Normothermic ex-vivo heart perfusion device, including, the perfusion module, pulmonary artery and aortic cannula
Intellivue MX550	Philips Healthcare, Suresnes, France	NA	Permanent monitoring system
Iomeron 350	Bracco imaging, Massy, France	3400933794606.00	Iomeprol contrast agent product
istat 1	Abbott, Chicago, Ill, USA	714336-03O	Blood Analyzer machine
Judkins Right 3.5	Boston Scientific,  Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA	H74934358202	Coronary angiography catheterization probe
Magnesium	Aguettant, Lyon, France	564 780-6	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Magnesium Sulfate	Aguettant, Lyon, France	600111	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Mannitol 20%	Macopharma, Mouvoux, France	3400891694567.00	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Methylprednisolone	Mylan S.A.S, Saint Priest, France	400005623	Drugs for the priming solution
MWI software	General Electric Healthcare, Chicago, Ill, USA	NA	software used for the Ultrasound echocardiographic machine
Orotracheal probe	Smiths medical ASD, Inc., Minneapolis, Minneapolis, USA	100/199/070	probe for the intubation during anesthesia
Potassium chloride 10%	B.Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany	3400892691527.00	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Propofol	Zoetis France, Malakoff, France	8083511	Drugs for the induction of the anesthesia
Quadrox-I small Adult Oxygenator	Getinge, Göteborg, Sweden	BE-HMO 50000	Extracorporeal blood oxygenator
Ringer solution	B.Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany	DKE2323	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Sodium Bicarbonate	Laboratoire Renaudin, itxassou, France	3701447	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Sodium chloride	Aguettant, Lyon, France	606726	Drugs for the priming solution
Swan Ganz Catheter	Merit Medical, south jordan, utah, USA	5041856	Right pressure and cardiac output probe
Tiletamine	Virbac France, Carros, France	3597132126021.00	Drugs for the induction of the anesthesia
Two staged Venous Cannula	Medtronic Inc. Minneapolis, Minneapolis, USA	91240, 32 french	Venous Cannula
Vivid E95 ultraSound Machine	General Electric Healthcare, Chicago, Ill, USA	NA	Ultrasound echocardiographic machine
Xylocaïne 2%	Aspen, Reuil-malmaison, France	600550	Drugs for the cardioplegia
Zolazepam	Cardinal Health LLC, Waukegan, Illinois, USA	31050522	EKG detection electrodes
Zolazepam	Virbac France, Carros, France	3597132126021.00	Drugs for the induction of the anesthesia