Protection of kidney cell against ischaemic damage by decreased kidney temperature.

At normal body temperature, kidney cells are highly sensitive to hypoxia. However, a bloodless operative field is advantageous in some interventions on the kidney. Kidney cells can be protected against the damage that might occur once blood flow has been interrupted pharmacologically or physically by reducing their temperature. The authors compare several methods for achieving renal hypothermia, including a method based on a device they developed themselves to eliminate defects found in existing equipment. The thermal curve obtained when the kidney is immersed in an oil bath cooled to 5 degrees C served as a model for other methods. Using the revised coil developed by the authors, renal hypothermia was achieved safely and efficiently. A combination of pharmacological and physiological methods is preferrable however in order to potentiate the effect of decreased temperature. This method was tested experimentally and then successfully applied in clinical practice.