AIM To investigate the effect of cold preservation on rat livers by modified storage method with self-madeHYD solution.METHODS The modified method was that the vascular bed of rat livers was expended with an additional20 mL, 30 mL and 40 mL self-made HYD solution / 100 g liver. After resection of the liver, the extra HYDsolution expressed as % liver weight was entrapped via portal infusion by tying off the supra- and infrahepatic inferior vena cava. According to the amount of extra HYD solution, 40 rats were randomly dividedinto four groups: control group with conventional storage method, 20% group, 30% group and 40% group.The preservation effect of modified storage method was compared with that of conventional storage methodusing isolated perfused rat liver model.RESULTS Bile production and all the indices of hepatic microcirculation including portal perfused pressure, endothelin in the effluent, Trypan blue distribution time and histology in modified method groupswere significantly superior to those in control group (P< 0.05). The liver enzymes in 30% group weremarkedly lower than those in control group (P