Are there any relations among transplant centre volume, surgical technique and anatomy for donor graft selection? Ten-year multicentric Italian experience on mini-invasive living donor nephrectomy.

Background: Selection of the right or left living donor kidney for transplantation is influenced by many variables. In the present multi centric study including 21 Italian transplant centres, we evaluated whether centre volume or surgical technique may influence the selection process.

Methods: Intra- and perioperative donor data, donor kidney function, and recipient and graft survival were collected among 693 mini-invasive living donor nephrectomies performed from 2002 to 2014.

Advanced age is not an exclusion criterion for kidney transplantation.

Introduction: Renal transplantation in patients older than 60 years has long been regarded with skepticism owing to the increased risk of complications although, as compared with dialysis treatment, a graft seems to improve not only the quality of life but also long-term patient survival. This study sought to analyze the impact of recipient age older than 60 years on patient and graft outcomes.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively investigated the outcomes of 761 kidney transplant recipients from cadaveric donors performed between February 1998 and July 2011.

Effects of ischemia-reperfusion injury in kidney transplantation: risk factors and early and long-term outcomes in a single center.

Introduction: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) causes a high rate of delayed graft function (DGF), the most frequent complication in the immediate postoperative period after cadaveric donor kidney transplantation. Herein we evaluated the impact of donor and recipient characteristics on DGF development in terms of the incidence of acute rejection episodes, hospital stay, renal function, and long-term graft and patient survivals.

Materials And Methods: Between February 1998 and July 2011, 761 patients underwent cadaveric donor kidney transplantations.

Middle and long-term outcomes of dual kidney transplant: a multicenter experience.

Introduction: Dual kidney transplantation (DKTx) to reduce the disparity between demand and supply of organs was evaluated in two Italian centers (Bari and Novara).

Materials And Methods: Between October 2000 and October 2011, we performed 97 DKT (26 ipsilateral/71 bilateral) following routine biopsy of all kidneys obtained from expanded criteria donors by Remuzzi-Karpinsky scores. The reference group was 379 single grafts from donors older than 60 years single kidney transplantation ([SKT] × > 60).

Ureteral strictures after kidney transplantation: risk factors.

Introduction: Ureteral obstruction is one of the most commonly reported urological complications after kidney transplantation often occurring within the first 3 months after surgery. Ischemia is the most frequent cause of ureteral stenosis and is the result of excessive hilar dissection and a poor anastomotic technique. Aim of this study was to identify the main risk factors for ureteral stenosis after kidney transplantation from cadaveric donors and to assess their impact on both graft survival and patient.

Value of the resistive index in patient and graft survival after kidney transplant.

Introduction: The resistive index (RI) obtained by performing doppler sonography is a hemodynamic index commonly used to measure flow resistance within an organ to assess if there is a vascular disease associated with that organ. It is a well-known predictor of kidney transplant outcome. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of RI values on patient and graft survival, as well as kidney graft function during 5-year follow-up.

Ultrasonographic findings in dual kidney transplantation.

Introduction: Organ shortage has led to using grafts from expanded criteria donors (ECD). Double kidney transplantation is an accepted strategy to increase the donor pool, using organs from an ECD which are not acceptable for single kidney transplantation (SKT). Aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the role of colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in the diagnosis of major surgical complications in DKT, performed with unilateral or bilateral placement.

The European Union Interreg Program: Italian-Albanian experience with kidney transplants.

Introduction: A collaboration between the Regional Health Agency of Puglia (ARES), the Italian Ministry of Health and the Albanian Ministry of Health, was realized in 2008. One of the areas of interest was to promote the performance of kidney transplants in Albania by Albanian medical staff, funded with nearly 2 million euros. The program included two major goals: to transmit the required know-how to health care staff and to upgrade the Albanian facilities and equipment to the standards necessary for successful transplantation.

Surgical complications of renal transplantation: ultrasound diagnosis.

Objective: Ultrasound is the principal imaging technique for the evaluation of a renal allograft; it is a safe imaging technique to assess the structure of the graft and its perfusion without the need for intravenous contrast or ionizing radiation. The evaluation of kidney transplant complications is easy due to its presence in the iliac fossa lying anterior to the external iliac vessels. Complications may be classified as medical and surgical; the latter are classified in urologic, vascular and general surgical complications.

Obesity in kidney transplantation affects renal function but not graft and patient survival.

Introduction: The number of overweight and obese patients undergoing renal transplantation has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Studies on graft survival and posttransplantation complications have often yielded conflicting results. Some authors have reported similar results for graft and patient survivals between obese and normal weight patients, but with a marginally increased rate of postoperative complications.

Extended criteria donor kidney transplantation: comparative outcome analysis between single versus double kidney transplantation at 5 years.

Introduction: Dual kidney transplantation (DKT), using extended criteria donor (ECD) grafts not suitable for single kidney transplantation (SKT), has been suggested to expand the kidney donor pool. Herein, we reviewed the long-term outcomes of DKT to assess its results versus a control group of 179 ECD SKTs. The allocation policy was based on a Remuzzi score obtained from a pretransplant biopsy.

Automatic determination of calcium and magnesium in water.

Magnesium and calcium may each be determined in water by an automatic spectrophotometric method. At 571 nm with an excess of Eriochrome Black T as metallochromic agent, the variation m absorbance is proportional to the magnesium concentration regardless of the calcium concentration. By addition of MgEDTA to displace the calcium from its CaEBT complex, this element may be determined at the same wavelength.