[Removal of kidneys for transplantation. Experience in a French general teaching hospital (author's transl)].

A law issued on december 22, 1976 and aimed at increasing the number of kidney transplantations in France authorizes the removal of kidneys from deceased persons of full age provided they had not expressed refusal while still alive; for decreased persons under age, removal is subject to written consent of the legal representative. In a general teaching hospital of whose than 1 000 beds, 21 kidneys donors were operated upon between January 1, 1971 and December 31, 1975 (an average of 4.2 per year). A kidney transplantation team was developed in 1976. Between January 1, 1976 and August 31, 1979, 83 kidneys donors were operated, an average of 22.6 per year. Ninety-five per cent (59/62) of the kidneys removed and transplanted in the hospital began to function (diuresis greater than 2 ml/min) within minutes of releasing the clamp, no matter how long cold ischaemia had lasted. The increase in kidney removal and transplantation may be attributed to the fact that motivation was maintained among the various units concerned (anaesthesia and intensive care, neurosurgery, neuroradiology) by sustained information and teaching.