[Kidney transplants from asystolic donors]

Review of our experience on renal transplantation with graft from removal in asystole. We have performed 31 transplantations of kidneys removed while in asystole, 25 of which were treated only with cardiocompression and assisted ventilation as support measures, the average asystole time being 45 minutes. Two donors were treated by in situ cold perfusion of the abdominal organs (time of asystole, 70 and 218 minutes). One patient was maintained with body cooling by cardiopulmonary by-pass for 90 minutes. Graft survival at three months was 77%, with a delay in the initial function of 70%, secondary to acute tubular necrosis, this being the only parameter in which a significant difference is observed when comparing them to those from a control group of 50 transplant performed over the same interval. No significant differences were seen at one year with regard to either graft survival or the recipients in both groups.