Improvement in the preservation of ischemically impaired renal transplants of pigs by iloprost (ZK 36 374).

Kidneys of five pigs were preoperatively perfused with iloprost in situ (infusion of 0.5 microgram X kg-1 for 15 minutes) and exposed to a warm ischemic period of 45 minutes. The behaviour of these kidneys during initial perfusion by gravity and hypothermic mechanical perfusion for 24 hours was comparable to that of kidneys having had a warm ischemic period of less than 5 minutes. After retransplantation all kidneys showed a sufficient blood flow and immediate production of urine during the test period of 3 hours.