An Anatomically Complicated Living Donor Kidney Transplantation from Hepatitis B Surface Antigen-Positive Donor to Negative Recipient With Size Discrepancy.

The deficiency of organ donors remains a barrier to kidney transplantation. Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) can overcome graft shortage, resulting in better outcomes. Many efforts are being made to expand the donor pool, such as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donors to negative recipients and anatomically complicated donor kidneys with size discrepancies. We report a case in which we overcame various problems in LDKT. The recipient was a 56-year-old, 106-kg, HBsAg negative male with diabetic nephropathy. The donor was a 63-year-old female, 56-kg, hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier with dual renal arteries. Preoperative antiviral medication was provided to the donor for negative conversion of HBV-DNA. The recipient was given HBV vaccination (antihepatitis B antibody: 2.25-36.16 mIU/mL). Anti-HBV immunoglobulin was intraoperatively administered to prevent transmission. The donor and recipient had an absolute weight difference (50 kg). In addition, the donor's kidney had a main and an accessory artery in the upper pole, which were anastomosed to the recipient's right external iliac and inferior epigastric artery, respectively. Follow-up serum creatinine levels decreased. Doppler ultrasonography showed good vascular flow within the reference range of the resistive index. The recipient's follow-up HBV-DNA titer was negative with antiviral medication. We successfully performed LDKT from an HBV-positive donor to a negative recipient by perioperative antiviral treatment and overcame a significant size discrepancy and anatomic challenges by preserving even a small portion of the kidney graft.

Overcoming the longest cold ischemia time yet seen in Korea using hypothermic machine perfusion in deceased donor kidney transplantation: a case report.

To address a donor kidney shortage, marginal grafts have been applied in deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT). These grafts exhibit comparatively unfavorable outcomes, particularly when cold ischemia time (CIT) is prolonged. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) has been investigated to mitigate the effects of prolonged CIT during graft transport. The present case involved successful management of the longest CIT recorded in Korea by employing HMP in DDKT. The donor was a 54-year-old man (Korean Kidney Donor Profile Index, 82%) with diabetes. The recipient, a 51-year-old man on peritoneal dialysis, had end-stage renal disease secondary to diabetic nephropathy. Following procurement, the left kidney was preserved using HMP. Inclement weather delayed graft transportation; consequently, the total CIT was 28 hours and 6 minutes, with the kidney preserved by HMP for 22 hours and 35 minutes. Postoperative graft function gradually recovered, and urine output was satisfactory. Delayed graft function was not observed, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 13 without significant complications. Five months after surgery, his serum creatinine level was 1.7 mg/dL. Successful DDKT with a marginal donor graft via HMP, despite the longest CIT yet observed in Korea, underscores the usefulness of HMP in enhancing graft quality and preserving function.

The first use of hypothermic machine perfusion in Korea to recover a procured kidney graft and prevent prolonged cold ischemic time: a case report.

To overcome the shortage of donor grafts in kidney transplantation (KT), the use of marginal grafts has evolved. However, prolonged cold ischemic time (CIT) is especially critical when using marginal grafts. Recently, hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) has been used to overcome the negative effects of prolonged CIT, and we report the first use of HMP in Korea. The donor was a 58-year-old man with severe hypoxia (PaO2 <60 mmHg, FiO2 100%) for 9 hours prior to procurement. The patient's kidneys were the only organs accepted for transplantation, and both kidneys were assigned to Jeju National University Hospital. After procurement, the right kidney was preserved using HMP immediately, and the left kidney was directly transplanted into a patient with a CIT of 2 hours 31 minutes. The second operation was performed following the first, using the right kidney graft that had been preserved by HMP for 10 hours and 30 minutes. Although postoperative graft function gradually recovered in both patients, the serum creatinine level decreased faster in the HMP patient. Neither patient showed signs of delayed graft function, and both were discharged without significant complications. The short-term outcomes in this transplantation of mate kidney grafts demonstrated that graft function can be safely preserved using HMP, and that HMP is beneficial in overcoming the negative effects of prolonged CIT.

Technical Feasibility of Renal Artery Embolization on a Transplanted Kidney Due to Intractable Unilateral Hydronephrosis After En Bloc Kidney Transplantation: Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: En bloc kidney transplantation (EBKT) is a technique used to transplant pediatric kidneys to adult recipients, but can lead to certain complications seldom found in single-kidney transplantation. We report a case of renal artery embolization after EBKT due to intractable unilateral hydronephrosis and highlight the technical details and challenges of the procedure. CASE: An 18-year-old female with MELAS syndrome underwent EBKT from a 10-month-old male baby. Two months later, the patient developed unilateral hydronephrosis and recurrent urinary tract infections, which was intractable to conventional therapy. Therefore, we underwent embolization of the problematic transplanted left kidney. Owing to the complicated anatomy and multiple angulations, multiple microcatheters, wires and support catheters were needed to select the renal arteries. Repeated procedures were required due to remnant flow from small branches and accessory renal arteries that were not easily visualized by conventional angiography, which were eventually detected by adjunctive use of 3-dimensional rotational angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Selective renal artery embolization after EBKT is challenging due to the short renal artery length and multiple angulations, yet it can still be performed safely and effectively by use of meticulous catheter-wire interactions and adjunctive intraoperative imaging techniques to delineate the precise anatomy of the target arteries. CLINICAL IMPACT: Selective renal artery embolization, which is less invasive than nephrectomy, can be considered if the culprit kidney must inevitably be sacrificed in en bloc kidney transplantation.

The significance of the first living donor kidney transplantation in Jeju: a case report.

To overcome the shortage of kidney donors, diverse methods have been utilized, including living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) and extended criteria for deceased donor grafts. Currently, LDKT is a major treatment option. However, in Jeju, deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) has been restricted due to the prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT) caused by the island's geographic disadvantages and transportation limitations. We report the first LDKT in Jeju, which demonstrates a means of overcoming prolonged CIT. A 67-year-old male patient with diabetic nephropathy underwent a preemptive ABO compatible LDKT (ABO type O+) from his 62-year-old wife. The operation was uneventful, using anti-thymocyte globulin based on the recipient's medical and immunologic risks. The patient recovered without significant complications and was discharged on postoperative day 15. Follow-up Doppler ultrasonography showed good blood flow to the kidney, and his serum creatinine levels steadily decreased and remained stable. The first successful LDKT in Jeju was significant in that kidney transplantation was implemented by compensating for its geographic limitations. In addition, we review machine perfusion as another method of avoiding prolonged CIT.

The use of polytetrafluoroethylene graft for damaged renal artery in ABO-incompatible living donor kidney transplantation: a case report.

Short donor renal vessels during donor nephrectomy represent a technical challenge. The allograft of vessels from deceased donors can be an option for reconstruction; however, cryopreserved vessels are not routinely prepared for living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). We report a reconstruction of the damaged short renal artery (RA) in LDKT using a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft. A 45-year-old male patient underwent ABO-incompatible LDKT from his wife. After donor nephrectomy, we detected a hematoma surrounding the proximal RA of the allograft. The injured segment of the RA was transected, and the short RA was connected to the right external artery of the recipient; however, the blood flow was interrupted by the graft location. Once the arterial anastomosis was removed, the graft was flushed with cold saline, and a PTFE graft was used for the reconstruction of the short RA. Immediate blood flow to the renal graft was excellent without sign of parenchymal infarction until fascial closure. Renal graft Doppler on postoperative day 7 and 3 months showed good blood flow. In this patient, the use of PTFE graft presented no additional morbidity to the kidney transplantation, and no postoperative complications related to its use were noted.