[Problems relating to vascular reconstruction in renal transplantation from a living donor]

We discuss vascular surgical problems in 59 kidney transplantations using alive donors. From April 96 till May 99 we harvested 59 kidneys from relatives (44 women and 15 men), mean age 54.33 years. Those kidneys were transplanted to 37 men (mean age 55.71 years), and 22 women (mean age 36.85 years). Preoperative dialysis was performed for a period of 5.015 years (mean). Thirty eight of the kidneys are right, and 21 of them are left. Six kidneys have two renal veins (10.16%), and 5 of them have two renal arteries (8.47%). We prefer end-to-end anastomosis between the donor renal artery and the recipient hypogastric artery. It ensures best regional hemodynamics, long-term patency and best positioning of the kidney avoiding vascular compression. The venous anastomosis is performed end-to-side to the iliac vein of the recipient. In 7 cases of short renal artery of the donor kidney greater saphenous vein is used as arterial conduit to ensure tension-free anastomoses. Only 1 patient (1.74%) of 59 cases (71 venous anastomoses) suffered thrombosis of the iliac vein, which caused kidney rupture. We had 5 cases of postoperative bleeding (8.47%), three of them were from the kidney hilus, and two from exposure sites. After reexploration all of them have normal function. Vascular anomalies and/or vascular disease do not preclude the procedure. Atraumatic harvesting of the kidney is critical.