Organ Donation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Donation, including details on risks, procedure, surgery, outcomes.

Biopsy of potential cadaveric renal allografts at the time of retrieval.

Verran D, Sheridan A, Barnwell A, Berriman M, Chapman J

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Lifelink Organ Donation Network, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. deborah@email.cs.nsw.gov.au

Biopsy of cadaver renal allografts may aid in the assessment of marginal allografts. However, the use of this approach is not clear. This study presents the outcome of institution of a protocol for back table biopsy of renal allografts during organ procurement. METHODS: Data from Lifelink Organ Donation Network records and the ANZDATA registry were analysed. RESULTS: The biopsy rate of renal allografts increased from 0.8% to 15.6% (P=0.01). The discardment rate of potential renal allografts increased slightly with 1.9% being discarded based on the biopsy result and 3.8% being discarded for other reasons. Under the biopsy protocol, 28/40 (70%) of donors with renal allograft biopsies had <20% glomerulosclerosis. The incidence of both delayed graft function and non-function was higher (P=0.014 and P=0.033, respectively) for the protocol biopsied allografts compared with the other non-biopsied allografts. One-year renal allograft survival was not significantly different between the protocol biopsied allografts versus the other non-biopsied allografts. CONCLUSIONS: A biopsy protocol for marginal potential renal allografts leads to acceptable allograft outcomes without significantly increasing allograft discardment.

Published 19 August 2005 in Nephrology (Carlton), 10(4): 414-7.
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