Kidney preservation with IGL-1 solution: a preliminary report.

The University of Wisconsin (UW) solution is the most commonly used preservation solution. However, a new preservation solution-IGL-1-contains an inversion of K and Na concentrations and substitution of polyethylene glycol for hydroxyethyl starch in the UW solution. The present study is the first clinical experience on the outcome of kidneys preserved in IGL-1 solution.

[Inequalities to the access of renal transplantation for French patients living in the overseas French territories].

This study explored the access to the French national renal transplantation waiting list and the waiting time before transplantation for the patients with ESRD on dialysis living in the FOT. Overseas health authorities gave data on ESRD incidence and prevalence. Data on patients registered between 1997 and 2000 were extracted from the French national waiting list (390 patients from the FOT and 9378 from continental France).

Cornea procurement from very old donors: post organ culture cornea outcome and recipient graft outcome.

Aim: To study the suitability of corneas from very old donors for graft after banking and their clinical and endothelial outcomes in recipients.

Methods: 419 corneas stored in organ culture were divided into group 1, donors under 85 years (330 corneas) and group 2, "very old" donors aged 85 years and over (89 corneas). Endothelial cell density (ECD) before and after organ culture, discard rate before and after storage, and clinical and endothelial outcomes of the 196 penetrating keratoplasties (PKP) (158 in group 1 and 38 in group 2) were compared in a prospective longitudinal study.

Advantages of using a bank of allogenic keratinocytes for the rapid coverage of extensive and deep second-degree burns.

In 1975, serial subculture of human keratinocytes was first described. Clinical application of this discovery was made possible after the preparation of these cells into epithelial sheets. In 1981, the earliest application of cultured autologous epithelia was made for the treatment of extensive third-degree burns.

French legal framework relating to human tissues and cells.

Thousands of patients receive human tissue grafts every year. Developments in cell and tissue engineering have also increased considerably the number of available products of human origin. France has very strict regulations, in part stimulated by problems of public health and ethics that have emerged in recent years and also in part as a result of a report by the 'Inspection Générale des Affaires Sociales' on the removal and grafting of human tissues in May 1993.

[Which graft for which patient? and when? III. Organization schema of organ procurement and graft coordination].

Organ and tissue procurement strongly increased during the past decades to become a common activity among accredited hospitals. Structuring efficient regional organ procurement organisations appear as an important goal in order to offer the relevant number and quality of transplants to the patients on the national waiting list maintained by the Etablissement français des Greffes. Two structures acting together coordinate organ and tissue procurement: (i)accredited hospitals allocate some medical and non medical personal interfacing; (ii) the Etablissement français des Greffes through one of its seven regional units or its national unit.

Evaluation of a high sodium-low potassium cold-storage solution by the isolated perfused rat kidney technique.

The isolated perfused rat kidney (IPK) model was used to assess initial renal function after 24 h preservation in 3 different cold storage solutions: EuroCollins (EC), a solution prepared according to the formulation of Belzer's solution (High-K+ UW) and a high Na(+)-low K+ Belzer UW solution (High-Na+ UW). GFR and FRNa were measured after 24 h cold storage in each of the solutions during 60 min, and were compared to values obtained in a control group in which renal function was measured immediately after the kidneys had been harvested. ATP and CP were measured in fresh renal tissue, in kidneys preserved for 24 h in each solution, in control IPK, and in reperfused IPK after they had been preserved for 24 h.

[Can hydroxyethylamidon be used during intensive care of brain-dead organ donors?].

In France, most of the kidney grafts are obtained from brain dead organ donors. Brain death induces numerous changes, especially in haemodynamic status, requiring the infusion of large volumes of fluid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on the organ donors and the kidney graft function in recipients.

[Organization of organ transplantation in France].

France was in tenth position in the field of kidney transplant in Europe in 1982, and is currently at the top of western countries for all transplant activities (per million inhabitants). Cyclosporin A was certainly a favourable factor for liver, heart and lung transplantations. Nevertheless the transplantation activity in France is twice than of Great Britain or Germany for those transplant specialties and the percentage of renal transplantations from living related donors is very low in France: 2.

[Significance of Alfatesine in anesthesia for multiple dental extractions before major cardiac surgery].

This technique of anaesthesia used for oral surgical operations such as, multiple dental extractions, apical resection, carried out in cardiac patients before major cardiac surgery under extra-corporeal circulation, for insertion of valvular prostheses or aorto-coronary by-pass operations, has passed by various stages. The present technique associating phenoperidine-alfatesine-suxame-thonium-N2o-o2, was used in the last 58 cases. It presents a certain number of advantages compared with previous techniques: -very stable level of anaesthesia whatever the duration of the operation, -satisfactory cardio-vascular stability, -almost constant absence of hypo-excitability of the myocardium even in patients in poor cardiac condition before the operation with uninterrupted treatment with digitalis and diuretics, -good quality of awakening.