A new anastomotic technique in renal transplants reduces warm ischemia time.

The cause of allograft dysfunction following renal transplantation has not yet been fully determined. However, one of the principal factors known to cause dysfunction in renal transplantation is warm ischemia. A new vascular anastomosis technique that reduces anastomotic time and the amount of warm ischemia time during the implantation phase was tested. A retrospective review compared 21 consecutive sutureless renal transplants with 31 consecutive suture transplants using a new technique performed by the same surgeon in the previous 12 months. The results showed the warm ischemia time was reduced by 51% (from 42.4 min to 24.04 min) with the new anastomotic technique, and with few complications. Initial experience with the new anastomotic technique is favorable. Further experience is needed to fully evaluate the complications and long-term outcomes using this technique.