REVASKULARISIERUNG VON HETEROTOPEN ISOTRANSPLANTATEN DER RATTENTRACHEA MITTELS OMENTUMUMMANTELUNG

Donor airway ischemia remains a significant problem following lung transplantation. An acceleration of local bronchial revascularization would be advantageous for bronchial healing. In the present study, the quantitative effects of omentopexy on tracheal revascularization and epithelial regeneration were investigated in a heterotopic rat tracheal isograft mode. Tracheal segments were harvested from donor rats and heterotopically implanted into the omentum of syngeneic recipient rats. Tracheal segments were wrapped for 2 days (group 2), 7 days (group 3) or 14 days (group 4). Tracheal segments in group 1 were harvested and not re-implanted. Following sacrifice of the animals after 2, 7 or 14 days, the vascularity of the tracheas and the tracheal epithelial morphology were assessed histologically using morphometric image analysis. The vascularity of tracheal segments was significantly higher in group 1 (native tracheas) compared to all other groups. Vascularity in group 4 segments (omental wrap for 14 days) was significantly greater than in group 3 segments (omental wrap for 7 days). Tracheal epithelial morphology was characterized by non-confluent single epithelial cells at day 2, a confluent multilayered nonciliated epithelium after 7 days of omental wrap and a morphologically normal epithelium after 14 days of omental wrap. Our new heterotropic rat tracheal isograft model allows histologic assessment and quantification of local revascularization and epithelial regeneration of tracheal segments by omentopexy.