IMPORTANCE OF WARM AND COLD ISCHAEMIA TIMES IN PRIMARY FAILURE OF HUMAN CADAVER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS

Abstract A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the importance of warm and cold ischaemia times in the transplantation of a hundred and twelve human cadaver kidneys during a 5-year period in the Midlands. Cadaver kidneys with initial warm-ischaemia times of up to 60 minutes were transplanted successfully. Damage sustained during cold ischaemia was one of the major factors in causing the primary failure of a kidney transplant. Cold ischaemia of less than 450 minutes gave a primary-failure rate of 15%. However, when cold ischaemia exceeded 450 minutes the failure-rate increased to 41%. With the present system of ice containing polystyrene containers used to transport and store kidneys for transplantation, a cold ischaemia of more than 71/2 hours is inadvisable.