Vascularized Composite Allotransplantations (VCA) have become a clinical reality. However, broad clinical application of VCA is limited by chronic multi-drug immunosuppression. The authors present a reliable and reproducible large animal model to translate novel immunomodulatory strategies that can minimize or potentially eliminate the need of immunosuppression in VCA.
Ibrahim, Z., Cooney, D. S., Shores, J. T., Sacks, J. M., Wimmers, E. G., Bonawitz, S. C., Gordon, C., Ruben, D., Schneeberger, S., Lee, W. P. A., Brandacher, G. A Modified Heterotopic Swine Hind Limb Transplant Model for Translational Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Research. J. Vis. Exp. (80), e50475, doi:10.3791/50475 (2013).