Effect of Hypothermic Machine Perfusion on the Preservation of Kidneys Donated After Cardiac Death: A Single-Center, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

To assess the application of a hypothermic machine perfusion device (LifePort) in kidney transplantation from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors, 24 pairs of DCD kidneys were randomly divided into two groups: one of the paired kidneys from the same donor was perfused with the LifePort machine (hypothermic machine perfusion [HMP]), and the contralateral kidney was prepared using common static cold preservation (CCP). The two groups were compared with respect to the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), level of graft function, and pathological changes in time-zero biopsy specimens. The incidence of DGF was 16.7 and 37.5% in the HMP and CCP groups, respectively; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of acute rejection was 4.1 (1/24) and 8.3% (2/24) in the HMP and CCP groups, respectively; this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Forty-eight kidney patients were followed up for 6 months, and the two groups of recipients all survived, yielding a survival rate of 100%. The mean 6-month serum creatinine levels were 98.7 ± 23.6 µmol/L in the HMP group and 105.3 ± 35.1 µmol/L in the CCP group; there was no significant difference between the two groups. HMP can reduce the incidence of DGF in DCD kidneys, and this effect is greater for expanded criteria donors kidneys. HMP can also improve early renal function.