Most already know all the solutions for preservation of organs and tissues that currently exist in the market … but do you know how they differ from each other?
What makes the difference (and the advantages) of using one respect to another, is the composition of the same. There are several objectives that must have this type of solutions:
– Firstly, maintaining a safe and reliable hypothermia will depend on the viscosity of the solution and the amount of intracellular sodium in the solution to prevent cell edema and prevent biochemical lesions. In addition, the cooling must be homogeneous and fast for a better microcirculation preservation.
– Secondly, to avoid reperfusion injury, such as adenosine crystalloid formation or tissue ischemia, leading to cell necrosis and an inoperative sodium-potassium pump leading to acute rejection of the graft.
– Finally, stabilize pH, prevent intracellular acidosis and the presence of free radicals during reperfusion and provide precursors of ATP for the rapid regeneration of the sodium-potassium pump.
Custodiol HTK, of Khöler-Chemie (Bretschneider’s solution), fulfills all the mentioned requirements thanks to its unique composition of Histidine, Tryptophan and Α-Ketoglutarate, which provide:
- Lower viscosity, which allows greater fluidity of the solution in hypothermia and better preservation.
- Low Potassium content, for better systemic absorption
- Low Sodium content, which protects against cellular edema
- Low calcium content, allowing less infiltration of intracellular calcium during reperfusion
- Unlike other solutions, it does not contain starch
- High levels of Histidine, which prevents intracellular acidosis and provides greater osmotic space by doubling the capacity of buffering in the transplanted organs and maintaining stable pH
- Tryptophan acts as a protective cell membrane, also preventing the presence of free radicals
- The α-ketoglutarate is a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle, which provides the energy necessary for the regeneration of the Na + -K +
For more information on Custodiol HTK visit our division of Organ Preservation and Transplantation
