Background: Organs from older donors are believed to withstand ischemia worse than those from younger donors. The effect of age on the development of intestinal preservation injury (IPI) is unclear.
Methods: We compared the development of IPI in intestines from young (3 mo), adult (14 mo), and old (20 mo) rat donors and assessed if luminal preservation (LP) is effective in delaying IPI. Small intestines were perfused with, and stored in, preservation solution (Custodiol) with or without LP solution (polyethylene glycol 3350). IPI was studied using histology (Chiu score, Alcian blue staining), Western blot, and electrophysiological assessment (Ussing chamber) at 4, 8, and 14 hours.
Results: Intestines of old rats did not show major histological alterations, whereas their aortas and kidneys revealed typical age-related changes (arteriosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis). Intestines from old rats fared similarly to their younger counterparts at all time points regarding preservation injury and goblet cells count. Intestines undergoing LP showed fewer histological signs of damage and higher goblet cells count when compared with samples without LP, regardless of donor age. Ussing chamber experiments indicated a time-dependent deterioration of all parameters studied, which was delayed by the use of LP.
Conclusions: Older intestines did not convincingly demonstrate a faster IPI compared with intestines from adult and young donors. The small differences between the age groups were nullified by the use of LP. LP significantly delayed the IPI in all age groups and may allow for longer preservation periods without an increased risk of mucosal damage.