Perioperative kinetics of the nitric oxide derivatives nitrite/nitrate during orthotopic liver transplantation.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator in ischemia-reperfusion injury during human orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The perioperative kinetics of nitrite/nitrate plasma levels in 25 patients undergoing uncomplicated OLT were studied. A uniform pattern with significant increases of nitrite/nitrate levels immediately after reperfusion was seen in all patients, followed by a decrease to pretransplant levels within 24h. Peak levels 30 min after reperfusion were correlated to the indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate (PDR(ICG)), suggesting an association of early released NO with graft perfusion in OLT.