Elimination of warm ischemia using the Ice Bag Technique does not decrease delayed graft function

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery
• Urology

Background:

• Warm ischemic time (WIT) significantly impacts kidney transplant outcomes, including graft survival and function.
• The Ice Bag Technique (IBT) was explored to eliminate WIT and its potential effects on delayed graft function (DGF).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if the elimination of WIT using the IBT reduces the incidence and duration of DGF in kidney transplant recipients.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of the IBT in a prospective cohort of kidney transplantations.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 150 kidney transplants was conducted.
• The elimination of WIT using IBT was compared to traditional transplantation methods.
• Non-parametric statistical tests were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• The IBT was successfully used in 66 of 134 kidney transplantations, accommodating various kidney characteristics and patient BMIs.
• Despite complete WIT elimination, no significant differences were observed in DGF incidence, DGF duration, length of stay, graft rejection, or survival rates between the IBT and traditional groups (p > 0.05).
• No increase in wound or urologic complications was noted with the IBT.

Conclusions:

• Eliminating WIT with the IBT did not reduce DGF incidence or duration in this cohort.
• The IBT may offer benefits for kidney transplants with prolonged anastomosis time (AT), but larger studies are required.
• Further investigation is needed to determine the definitive role of IBT in improving DGF outcomes.