Influence of number of retransplants on renal graft outcome.

Background: To assess the influence of number of transplants on the renal graft outcome.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of various factors that could influence the outcome of kidney retransplantation in patients receiving more than one allograft between 1993 and 2005 at our center.

Results: During the 12-year period (1993-2005), 196 patients received more than one renal transplant. Of these, 163 had two (group 1) and 33 had more than two transplants (group II). In group II, 24 patients had three, eight had four, and one had five consecutive allografts. The control group comprised of 100 randomly selected patients receiving a first graft during the same period. In group I, 53 (32.5%) grafts failed. Eighteen (11.0%) patients died with functioning grafts. In group II, 14 (41.2%) grafts failed while four patients (11.8%) died with functioning grafts. In group I, actuarial graft survival rates at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 82.3%, 67.3%, 55.97%, and 42.14%, respectively. In group II, the respective figures were 84.85%, 66.67%, 60.61%, and 51.52%. The difference was not statistically significant (P = .96). In the control group, 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year survival rates were 92%, 84, 74%, and 60%, respectively. The difference between the control and study groups was statistically significant (P = .0002).

Conclusion: Graft survival after retransplantation is relatively inferior when compared to the primary graft but still remains fairly high. Therefore, previous graft failure should not be considered as a relative contraindication for retransplantation.