Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To review and analyze our experience in rat kidney transplantation which provides guidance for experimental and clinical studies.
METHODS: Between January 2004 and July 2009, about 1000 rat kidneys were transplanted in the research facilities of the Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Germany. Briefly, the renal grafts’ artery and vein were both anastomosed in an end-to-side technique with running sutures to the recipients’ abdominal aorta and vena cava, respectively. In the acute and chronic kidney transplantation model the ureter was implanted either directly into the bladder or an end-to-end ureteral anastomosis was performed, respectively. Recipients were nephrectomized bilaterally.
RESULTS: Flushed donor kidneys were transplanted with a warm ischemia time of less than 30 minutes and a total operative time of about 60 minutes. The procedure was successful in more than 98% of cases.
CONCLUSION: The kidney transplantation model described here is safe, convenient and feasible; however, microsurgical technique requires a skillful surgeon who is the key factor for successful surgical research.