Extension of the right renal vein in cadaveric renal transplants with use of the vena cava and the TA-30 V3 surgical stapler.

The aforementioned technique offers an expeditious and safe means of extending the cadaveric right renal vein for 3 to 5 centimeters, while greatly minimizing the ischemic time of the kidney during preparatory dissection. The cuff of the cadaveric right renal artery can also be preserved, and the danger of kinking of the arterial graft is minimized. Our experience has shown that separation of the left renal vein 3 to 4 millimeters away from the vena cava allows a left renal vein of adequate length for transplantation of the left kidney. Between June 1985 and August 1989, we have used this technique successfully in more than 120 cadaveric right renal transplants and have seen no vascular complications attributable to the stapled conduit of the vena cava.