Novel Technique in a Sheep Model of Uterine Transplantation

Abstract

Introduction: Uterine transplantation (UTx) is a surgical therapeutic modality designed for the treatment of patients with exclusive uterine factor infertility. Experimental models are paramount to study this transplant modality, and as the ewes' uteri are very similar to that of humans, they are frequently used with this purpose. The aim of this study is to describe a novel technical variation for UTx in sheep.

Methods: This study was conducted at Laboratory of Medical Investigation 37 of the University of São Paulo School of Medicine in São Paulo, Brazil, and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Animal Use of the university. We used 3 adult female sheep that weighed approximately 45 kg and were not pregnant. We performed the technique of uterine autotransplantation with a novel technical variation that we called sequential vascularization: first, we performed the right uterine artery and vein anastomoses, after which the uterine graft was vascularized, and then the contralateral vascular anastomoses were performed.

Conclusion: We described 3 successful uterine autotransplants in sheep models with sequential vascularization. This variation technique will probably allow warm ischemia time in UTx to significantly decrease.