This study was designed to evaluate the viability of canine trachea after cryopreservation for two months. Eight cervical tracheal rings were resected in three dogs and both ends were anastomosed. The resected tracheal segments were cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen at -1961C for two months.
Two months later, the cryopreserved segments were thawed. Half of each segment was implanted into the abdomen of its donor animal and the other half was cultured in tissue media. Two weeks later, the animal was sacrificed. The native cervical trachea was removed to serve as a control and the abdominally implanted trachea was removed for study. At that time, both specimens were also cultured in tissue media. Tracheal epithelial viability was assessed histologically by using an inverted microscope. The epithelial cells were confirmed immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen.
Control and cryopreserved segments showed good, viable epithelial , ells, but the implanted segments showed slightly depressed viability. We conclude that canine tracheal epithelium can survive after cryopreservation for two months, but the implanted trachea will be slightly damaged by ischemia before revascularization, even if omental wrapping is used.
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