Dual kidney transplantation from uncontrolled deceased donors after cardiac arrest: a possible option

William Hanf1, Palmina Petruzzo, Vannary Meas-Yedid

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Clinical Immunology, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France.

Insights

Dual kidney transplantation from uncontrolled deceased donors after cardiac arrest offers a viable solution to organ shortage. This approach successfully utilizes lower-quality organs, achieving good graft function beyond one year.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Transplantation Surgery
  • Organ Donation

Background:

  • Organ shortage remains a critical challenge in transplantation.
  • Uncontrolled deceased donors after cardiac arrest (UDDCA) could expand the donor pool by 20%.
  • Organs from UDDCA donors may have higher risks of delayed graft function or primary non-function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the outcomes of dual kidney transplantation (DKT) using organs from UDDCA.
  • To assess graft function and histology in DKT recipients with over one year of follow-up.
  • To determine if DKT is a viable option for kidneys unsuitable for single kidney transplantation.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of four DKT cases from UDDCA.
  • Machine perfusion of all donor kidneys to assess quality and guide transplantation decisions.
  • Graft outcome assessment up to 5 years post-transplantation.
  • Histological analysis at 3 and 12 months post-transplantation.

Main Results:

  • All DKT grafts were functional at 1-year follow-up.
  • Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 44.5 ± 3.3 mL/min/1.73 m² at 1 year.
  • Mean inulin clearance was 43.7 ± 13.6 mL/min/1.73 m² at 1 year.
  • No increase in surgical complications was observed compared to single kidney transplantation.

Conclusions:

  • DKT from UDDCA is a feasible strategy to increase kidney transplantation rates.
  • Careful selection based on histological, biological, donor clinical criteria, and perfusion parameters is crucial for success.
  • DKT provides a viable alternative for marginal quality kidneys, improving graft utilization without compromising patient safety.