Optimized method for ureteric reconstruction in a mouse kidney transplant model
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Updated: May 1, 2026
Mouse Kidney Transplantation: Models of Allograft Rejection
Published on: October 11, 2014
Zane Z Wang1, Chuanmin Wang, Eithne C Cunningham
1Collaborative Transplantation Research Group, Bosch Institute, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Background:
Murine kidney transplantation is an important model for studies of transplantation immunobiology. The most challenging aspect of the difficult surgical procedure is the ureteric anastomosis.
Methods:
Two different approaches to ureteric reconstruction are compared here. Method 1, Patch: this involves anastomosis of the donor ureter together with a patch of donor bladder to recipient bladder. Method 2, Implant: this utilizes a 5-0 suture to pull the ureter through the bladder wall. The ureter's peripheral tissue is then fixed to the bladder wall at the implant site with 10-0 micro-sutures.
Results:
In animals transplanted with the patch method, the initial success rate, defined as survival up to the third post-operative day, was 79% (n = 62), whereas the initial success rate for the implant method was 86.1% (n = 101; P = 0.28). The death rate from unknown and/or unspecified causes in the initial period was 16.1% (10/62) for the patch method, and 8.9% (9/101) for the implant method (P = 0.21). The average donor/recipient operation time with the implant method was 14.8 ± 2.2/61.4 ± 4.7 min (76 min per transplant), whereas operation time with the patch method was 28.3 ± 2.4/77.8 ± 5.5 min (106 min per transplant; P < 0.001). The ureteric implant method resulted in a lower rate of urinary leak compared with the patch method (1.1% versus 10.2%; P = 0.02).
Conclusions:
The ureteric implant method for mouse kidney transplantation is a reliable approach with at least as high a success rate as the bladder patch method and with a shorter operation time.
