In vivo functional and MRS metabolic evaluation of the heart graft; application to improvements of cardiac preservation

Previous MRS studies o11 heart preservation have been mostly conducted oil ex vivo preparations which allow easily concomitant 3~p MRS and functional evaluation. Despite its limitations due to improper evahtation of the contractility, the standard heterotopic transplantation in rat offers close similarity to clinical situations and provides in-vivo blood reperfusion. Therefore this experimental model allows to study the recovery of the heart late after the initial period of reperfusion as opposed to ex vivo perfusion models which are not suitable for delayed study due to the limited stability of the preparation. We aimed to develop a new experimental model in order (i) to study the evolution of function and phosphorous metabolism of the heart graft during prolonged blood reperfusion; and (ii) to evaluate in-vivo the role of L-arginine as an adjuvant to the Centre de R6sonance Magnetique Biologique et M6dicale (CRMBM) heart preservation solution after prolonged cardioplegic arrest.