Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of different hepatic perfusion procedures for small-for-size liver transplantation in rats. Methods A total of 156 rats were randomly divided into two groups: portal vein perfusion group (groupⅠ, n=78) and abdominal aorta perfusion group (group Ⅱ, n=78). After harvesting graft, the left lobe of the liver and the middle lobe were resected and the remaining approximately 30% volumes of the liver were transplanted in group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ. The body weights of donor and acceptor, the weight of graft, the time of operating in donor, the cold ischemia time, anhepatic phase, the blocking time of inferior hepatic vena cava and the time of operating in receptor were recorded in two groups. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), pathological HE staining and 7-day survival rate in 6 h, 1 d, 3 d and 7 d after operation were compared between two groups. Results The serum levels of ALT and AST were decreased gradually in two groups, but the levels decreased slowly in group Ⅰ. The serum levels of ALT and AST were significantly higher in group Ⅰ than those of group Ⅱ (P＜0.05). HE staining showed greater damage of mi⁃ crostructure of liver tissue at early stage in group Ⅰ than that in group Ⅱ. The 7-day survival rate was lower in group Ⅰ than that of group Ⅱ (χ2=4.050， P=0.044). Conclusion There is a higher survival rate and mild liver damage in small-forsize liver transplantation in rats using perfusion by abdominal aorta.

Key words: liver transplantation, rats, Sprague-Dawley, small for size liver transplantation, perfusion