Preservation of 32 human kidneys by simple cold storage for more than 48 hours.

Transplant centers are reluctant to use kidneys stored cold for more than 48 hours. During a 6-year interval we transplanted 32 kidneys preserved by intracellular electrolyte flushing that were stored cold for 48.2 to 61.4 hours. Of the recipients 91 per cent required dialysis within 1 week after transplantation. The mean serum creatinine nadir within 1 month was 3.0 mg. per dl. and graft survival at 1 month was 81 per cent. Short-term kidney graft function was not influenced significantly by the addition of magnesium sulfate to the flush solutions or by cyclosporin immunosuppression. The 1 and 2-year actuarial kidney graft survival rates were 72 and 58 per cent, respectively. The 1 and 2-year mean serum creatinine levels were 1.9 and 1.6 mg. per dl., respectively. Kidneys can be transplanted successfully after 48 hours of simple cold storage following flushing with an ice-cold intracellular electrolyte solution.