Human kidney preservation by intracellular electrolyte flush followed by cold storage for over 24 hours.

Many transplant teams are reluctant to accept kidneys preserved with intracellular electrolyte flushing followed by simple cold storage when preservation time exceeds 24 hr. This study from one center is a comparison of 63 primary cadaver kidney grafts preserved with Collins 2 solution flush followed by cold storage for 9 to 23 1/2 hr to 42 primary cadaver kidney grafts preserved by the same method for 24 to 44 1/2 hr. Kidneys cold-stored for over 24 hr had a significantly increased requirement for dialysis in the first week following transplantation (55% versus 30%). One-month serum creatinine nadirs and actuarial graft survivals were not significantly different. Cadaver donor methylprednisolone (30 to 60 mg/kg) 2 to 9 hr prior to kidney removal reduced the requirement for first-week hemodialysis in the kidneys cold-stored for over 24 hr (23% versus 69%, P under 0.05). A human kidney preserved by the same method and cold-stored for 61 hr was successfully transplanted into a 38-year-old myelodysplastic. Satisfactory human kidney preservation can occur with intracellular electrolyte flush solutions followed by cold storage for over 24 hr when the warm ischemia time is very short.