Histologic features of harvested canine kidneys preserved in four different crystalloid solutions

Endless efforts are required in the investigation of the best organ preservative. Normal Saline, 5% dextrose, Darrows and Ringers’ Lactate were used as preservatives with the view to investigate the prospect of kidney survival in these solutions post harvest at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University-Zaria. Sixteen normal kidneys were harvested, preserved and evaluated from sixteen adult Nigerian indigenous breed of dogs. The dogs were acclimatized and conditioned for 2 weeks while presurgical evaluations were done. Kidney harvesting was performed under ge neral anaesthesia, asepsis was observed strictly in all cases. The left kidneys were harvested for each dog through an 8 cm cranioventral midline approach under general anaesthesia. Post nephrectomy, the kidneys were flushed/perfused through the renal artery and preserved for 96 hours at 40C in labeled bowls (A, B C and D) containing these solutions: ARingers Lactate, B-Darrows, C-5% Dextroses and D-Normal Saline solutions which was incorporated 15000 iu of heparin, 5mls of 2% xylocaine, 400000 iu penicillin and 75mg streptomycin. Following preservation for 96 hours, histopathology study was undertaken. Mean pre-surgical haematological, serum chemistry and urinalysis values were within normal range. The gross appearances of the harvested kidneys post preservation were normal. The renal parenchyma for all the kidneys preserved for 72 hours were normal. At 96 hours, kidneys preserved in solutions C and D showed no histological changes. The findings revealed that Normal Saline would preserve better followed by 5% Dextrose and then Darrows and Ringers Lactate being the mild preservative.