Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Normothermic Ex Vivo Kidney Perfusion for the Preservation of Kidney Grafts prior to Transplantation
Published on: July 15, 2015
[Kidney allograft harvesting on a donor patient under cardiopulmonary bypass]
S Thomas1, N Terrier, M Padilla
1Pôle d'anesthésie réanimation, hôpital Michallon, B.P. 217, 38043 Grenoble cedex 09, France.
Insights
Kidney allograft harvesting during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after cardiac arrest enabled successful transplantation. This technique may increase the availability of donor organs for patients needing a kidney transplant.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Transplantation Surgery
- Cardiovascular Surgery
Background:
- Organ donation after cardiac death presents unique challenges for graft procurement.
- Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a technique used to support circulation during cardiac procedures.
Observation:
- A case of kidney allograft harvesting was performed on a donor patient experiencing cardiac arrest while on CPB.
- The donor's circulatory support was maintained using CPB throughout the organ procurement process.
Findings:
- Both kidneys were successfully harvested and transplanted.
- The transplanted kidney allografts demonstrated immediate function in the recipients.
Implications:
- Utilizing CPB for organ procurement may expand the donor pool for kidney transplantation.
- This approach could potentially improve graft availability for patients on waiting lists.
Abstract:
We report the case of a kidney allograft harvesting on a donor patient under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after a cardiac arrest. The two kidneys were successfully transplanted with immediate graft function. CPB may provide an option to expand the number of harvested grafts.
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
