[Experimental renal transplantation of cirrhotic donor. II. Stereologic analysis].

Cirrhotic nephromegaly is accompanied by an important glomerular growth that progress to glomerulosclerosis and is irreversible and independent of the initial cause. The deterioration of renal function in these patients following liver transplantation and in chronic cirrhotics may be secondary to glomerular sclerosis, also known as "hepatic glomerulosclerosis". We utilized stereologic methods to quantify the volumetric changes in cirrhotic rats, fundamentally the glomerular changes, before and after transplantation into healthy rats. We had initially intended to look for terminal cirrhotics that were potential kidney donors; however, currently many of these can be liver graft recipients. In our view, our findings can be applicable to these patients since the kidney is removed from a cirrhotic and transplanted into a healthy environment, as in our experiment.