Deterioration of Lung Function in a Pig Model of Uncontrolled Cardiac Death

Abstract Introduction Uncontrolled donors after circulatory determination of death (uDCDD) represent a yet unexplored pool of organs potentially available for transplantation. The aims of this study were to validate a protocol of cardiac death in the pig and to investigate lung function during the process. Materials and Methods Cardiac death was induced in preanesthetized animals with an injection of 600 mg propofol; once systolic blood pressure was  Results Agonal phase was reached in 6 ± 1 minutes and lasted 3 ± 1 minutes; average HR was 49 ± 16 beats/min, and BP was 41 ± 12 mm Hg. CPR lasted 35 ± 3 minutes; average HR and BP were 113 ± 32 beats/min and 86 ± 63 mm Hg, respectively. PaO 2 /FiO 2 decreased from 442 ± 31 mm Hg at baseline to 63 ± 36 at end-CPR ( P P P P P  = .008). Conclusions Lung function greatly deteriorated after cardiac death. The model we set may constitute a reproducible platform for future investigations on lung uDCDD.