Abstract: Objective To investigate the surgical techniques and appropriate perioperative management for ensuring successful
orthotopic liver transplantation (ROLT) in rats. Methods Based on the double-cuff technique of Kamada, we modified the
surgical techniques of separation, perfusion and cold preservation of the donor liver, shearing and anastomosis of the
suprahepatic vena cava with optimized postoperative infusion protocols and animal care. Results Two hundred and senventy
rats underwent ROLT and a learning curve of the success rate was built to reflect the impovment of techniques. The learning
curve showed steep improvemts over the exploration stage, breakthrough stage and maturation stage, and the success rates
incresed sharply over time (0% , 71.1% , and 94.5% , respectively) until finnally reaching over 90% . The shearing and
anastomosis of the suprahepatic vena cava remained the most critical and difficult techniques in ROLT modeling. Conclusion
Proficient microsurgical techniques and meticulous nursing can reduce postoperative complications, enhance operational
success rate and extend the survival time after ROLT.