Perfusion time and the survival of cadaver transplants.

Perfusion of cadaver kidneys up to 48 hours did not adversely affect the long-term renal allotransplant function and did not result in an increased rate of rejection. In fact, cadaver kidneys perfused for longer periods of time had a slightly better functional survival rate than did kidneys perfused for shorter periods. From 100 perfused cadaver kidneys, we can conclude that the length of perfusion had little if any effect on the immunogenicity of the renal allograft in the immunosuppressed transplant patient.