[Double renal transplant. Retrospective analysis of data on the patient population with double kidney transplantation in the setting of the AIRT].
BACKGROUND
The number of patients on the waiting list for renal transplantation has progressively increased in the last decade, while the number of potential donors have remained the same. The expansion of the donor pool using marginal donors may represent a possible, although partial solution to this problem. Thus, the aim of the present analysis was to evaluate the graft survival of double renal transplant from marginal donors performed within the Associazione InterRegionale Trapianti (AIRT) and to assess whether this procedure is characterized by an increase in surgical complications.


METHODS
79 double renal transplants were performed from January 1st 1999 to December 31st 2002 in three AIRT transplant centers (Bari, Bologna, Torino). Immunosuppressive therapy for all patients included anti-IL-2 receptor antibodies, corticosteroids, tacrolimus and mofetil micophenolate.


RESULTS
Graft survival was 90% at 36 months. Acute rejection incidence was 6.4%, while the incidence of surgical complications was 16.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study opens new perspectives to overcome the actual shortage of donor kidneys. Indeed, the use of marginal organs for double renal transplantation not suitable for single transplantation may create an additional pool of potential donors and significantly increase the number of kidney transplants.
Infante
B
B
Divisione di Nefrologia, Dipartimento di Emergenza e Trapianti d'Organo, Universita' degli Studi di Bari - Policlinico, Bari, Italy.
Stallone
G
G
Schena
A
A
Grandaliano
G
G
Di Paolo
S
S
Battaglia
M
M
Ditonno
P
P
Feliciangeli
G
G
Stefoni
S
S
Messina
M
M
Segoloni
G
G
Schena
F P
FP
D000368:Aged; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies