Obstacles to implement machine perfusion technology in routine clinical practice of transplantation: Why are we not there yet?

Machine perfusion of solid human organs is an old technique, and the basic principles were presented as early as 1855 by Claude Barnard. More than 50 years ago, the first perfusion system was used in clinical kidney transplantation. Despite the well-known benefits of dynamic organ preservation and significant medical and technical development in the last decades, perfusion devices are still not in routine use. This article describes the various challenges to implement this technology in practice, critically analyzing the role of all involved stakeholders, including clinicians, hospitals, regulatory, and industry, on the background of regional differences worldwide. The clinical need for this technology is discussed first, followed by the current status of research and the impact of costs and regulations. Considering the need for strong collaborations between clinical users, regulatory bodies, and industry, integrated road maps and pathways required to achieve a wider implementation are presented. The role of research development, clear regulatory pathways, and the need for more flexible reimbursement schemes is discussed together with potential solutions to address the most relevant hurdles. This article paints an overall picture of the current liver perfusion landscape and highlights the role of clinical, regulatory, and financial stakeholders worldwide.

Laparoscopic Approach for Reconstructive and Ablative Procedures in Ectopic Pelvic Kidneys: A Challenge in 8 Cases.

Introduction and Objective: Laparoscopy is the most widely followed approach in ablative or reconstructive kidney surgeries. The aim of this study is to assess the utility and safety of laparoscopic approach in pelvic ectopic kidney surgeries. Methods: Between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, 8 patients with pelvic kidneys; 4 with pelviureteric junction obstruction, 3 with pelvic stones, and 1 nonfunctioning kidney underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty, pyelolithotomy, and nephrectomy, respectively. The records of all 8 patients were evaluated retrospectively for analyzing the operating time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, intra- and postoperative complications, surgical difficulty, and the success in completing the case laparoscopically. The patients were followed for at least 6 months to know the outcome. After pyeloplasty the improvement in function and drainage as well were recorded. Results: Of 8 cases, 6 (75%) were completed laparoscopically. One pyelolithotomy and 1 pyeloplasty patient were converted to open surgery. The median operative time was 180 (140-240) minutes, median blood loss was 100 (50-300) mL, and median hospital stay was 4 (3-6) days. One patient, who had open conversion, had Clavien grade I complication in the form of prolonged fever. Pyeloplasty patients at 6 months follow-up showed improvement in symptoms as well as function. Conclusion: The laparoscopic approach has obvious benefits in pelvic surgeries. Laparoscopy for ectopic pelvic kidneys are challenging due to abnormal anatomy of vessels and kidneys. Proper exposure of kidneys and exact identification of vessels can accomplish laparoscopic procedure in ectopic kidneys successfully with patients having nil complications and early convalescence.

National Liver Allocation Policy-Consensus Document by the Liver Transplantation Society of India for a Nationally Uniform System of Allocation of Deceased Donor Liver Grafts.

Background: Deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) is increasing in India and now constitutes nearly one-third of all liver transplantation procedures performed in the country. There is currently no uniform national system of allocation of deceased donor livers. Methods: A national task force consisting of 19 clinicians involved in liver transplantation from across the country was constituted under the aegis of the Liver Transplantation Society of India to develop a consensus document addressing the above issues using a modified Delphi process of consensus development. Results: The National Liver Allocation Policy consensus document includes 46 statements covering all aspects of DDLT, including minimum listing criteria, listing for acute liver failure, DDLT wait-list management, system of prioritisation based on clinical urgency for adults and children, guidelines for allocation of paediatric organs and allocation priorities for liver grafts recovered from public sector hospitals. Conclusion: This document is the first step in the setting up of a nationally consistent policy of deceased donor liver allocation.

Prospective comparison of suture ligation and electrothermal sealing for the control of perivascular lymphatics in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: The use of sutures as ligatures has proven to be safe and reliable for the control of lymphatic vessels. The electrothermal bipolar vessel sealer (EBVS) is a relatively new type of device that can be used to seal lymphatics. We conducted a study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EBVS for preparation of the recipient vessel during renal transplantation. Methods: In this prospective randomized controlled study, EBVS (Medtronic) was compared with conventional ligature for the control of perivascular lymphatics in kidney transplant recipients. A total of 52 kidney transplant recipients were randomly assigned to two groups. In group 1, EBVS was used to control perivascular lymphatics, while conventional silk ligatures were used in group 2. Demographic characteristics, as well as preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative variables, were noted and compared between the groups. Results: The mean recipient vessel preparation time was 8.3±1.9 minutes in group 1 and 14.5±4 minutes in group 2 (P<0.001). The mean anastomosis time was 28.2±5.4 minutes in group 1 and 28.2±4.2 minutes in group 2 (P=1.000). The mean estimated blood loss was 101.54±44.60 mL in group 1 and 125.19±74.17 mL in group 2 (P=0.270), and the mean drain output was 51.42 mL per day and 57.50 mL per day in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P=0.590). Conclusions: EBVS can be employed safely and effectively for recipient iliac lymphatic vessel dissection and sealing. EBVS is a fast, secure, and effective choice to permanently fuse the vessels and is a good option to avoid posttransplant lymphatic complications.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic repair of injuries to bladder and ureter following gynecological surgery and obstetric injury: A single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study is to evaluate the outcome of robot-assisted laparoscopic repair of injuries to urinary tract following gynecological surgery and obstetric injury. METHODS: This retrospective analysis from prospectively collected data of repair of injuries to bladder and ureter using da Vinci Si robotic platform was carried out. Between April 2014 and May 2019, 27 patients were operated on in a single surgical unit; 25 had hysterectomy and 2 were obstetric cases. Fifteen patients underwent vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair, ten underwent ureteral reimplant, with concomitant psoas hitch, and two underwent Boari flap repair following gynecological surgery and obstetric injury. RESULTS: Among 15 patients of VVF repair, 3 cases were previously attempted failed repair, 2 underwent concomitant ureteral reimplant, and 1 underwent concomitant ovarian cystectomy. The mean total operative time was 126 (75-206) min, and the mean hospital stay was 4.4 (3-6) days. Among 12 cases of ureteral injury, 5 were on the right side and 7 were on the left side; the mean total operative time was 150.16 (110-215) min, and the mean hospital stay was 4 (3-7) days. No case required conversion to open in this cohort. All cases were successfully cured without any recurrence of fistula or stricture during their mean follow-up period of 35.3 (9-66) months. CONCLUSIONS: Robot-assisted laparoscopic repair for injuries to bladder and ureter is effective and highly successful even in previously failed cases.

Non-simultaneous kidney exchange cycles in resource-restricted countries without non-directed donation - a prospective single-center cohort study.

Recent reports suggest that bridge-donor reneging is rare (1.5%) in non-simultaneous kidney exchange chains. However, in developing countries, the non-directed donors who would be needed to initiate chains are unavailable, and furthermore, limited surgical space and resources restrain the feasibility of simultaneous kidney exchange cycles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the bridge-donor reneging rate during non-simultaneous kidney exchange cycles (NSKEC) in a prospective single-center cohort study (n = 67). We describe the protocol used to prepare co-registered donor-recipient pairs for non-simultaneous surgeries, in an effort to minimize the reneging rate. In addition, in order to protect any recipients who might be left vulnerable by this arrangement, we proposed the use of standard criteria deceased-donor kidneys to rectify the injustice in the event of any bridge-donor reneging. We report 17 successful NSKEC resulting in 67 living-donor kidney transplants (LDKT) using 23 bridge-donors without donor renege and no intervening pairs became unavailable. We propose that NSKEC could increase LDKT, especially for difficult-to-match sensitized pairs (25 of our 67 pairs) in countries with limited transplantation resources. Our study confirms that NSKEC can be safely performed with careful patient-donor selection and non-anonymous kidney exchanges.

Feasibility of Convalescent Plasma Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Severe COVID-19: A Single-Center Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: There are limited clinical data on feasibility and safety of convalescent plasma therapy in kidney transplant recipients with severe COVID-19. The present study was conducted to explore the feasibility of convalescent plasma treatment in 10 kidney transplant recipients with severe COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India. All patients were admitted to the intensive care unit and received antiviral therapy, glucocorticoids, and other supportive care. Two doses of 200 mL each of convalescent plasma with neutralization activity of >1:640 were transfused into patients 24 hours apart following the World Health Organization blood transfusion protocol. The endpoints were the improvement of clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters within 1 day and 7 days after convalescent plasma transfusion. RESULTS: The patients showed resolution of clinical symptoms, and there was a significant decrease in inflammatory markers (P < .05) within 7 days of convalescent plasma transfusion. Of the 10 patients, 9 patients had full recovery and 1 patient died. CONCLUSIONS: Convalescent plasma therapy is highly safe and clinically feasible and reduces mortality in kidney transplant recipients with severe COVID-19. Larger clinical registries and randomized clinical trials should be conducted to further explore the clinical outcomes associated with convalescent plasma use in kidney transplant recipients with severe COVID-19.

Use of Hem-o-lok Clips for Vascular Control During Retroperitoneoscopic Nephrectomy in Children.

Aim: To evaluate safety and efficacy of 5-mm Hem-o-lok clips in children undergoing retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy. Material and Methods: Twenty-four retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomies were performed between September 2004 and August 2007. The indications of nephrectomy were ureteropelvic junction obstruction, reflux nephropathy, ectopic ureteral opening with renal dysplasia, and stone disease with pyonephrosis and primary obstructed megaureter with renal dysplasia. Nine cases were on right side and others on left side. Multiple 5- or 10-mm Hem-o-lok clips were used to control renal artery and vein separately in each case. The specimen was mobilized and removed either by extension of a port site incision or by a separate incision at ipsilateral iliac fossa at the lateral border of the rectus muscle. Results: Hem-o-lok clips were deployed on renal pedicle separately in each case. Two clips were deployed on the body side and one on the specimen side. On the left side lumbar, gonadal and adrenal tributaries were also clipped by 5-mm Hem-o-lok clips. No clip dislodgement was observed in any patient. Mean operative time was 111 (80 ± 47) minutes, and mean blood loss was 25 (10 ± 45) mL. Mean hospital stay was 2.4 (1.9-3.1) days. Conclusion: Five- and 10-mm Hem-o-lok clips are safe and effective for renal pedicle control during retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy in children.

Benefit to Few Versus Risk to Many: An Ethical Dilemma During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic for Deceased-Donor Organ Transplant in a Resource-Limited Developing Country.

The tools in our armamentarium to prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, are social distancing; frequent handwashing; use of facial masks; preventing nonessential contacts/travel; nationwide lockdown; and testing, isolation, and contact tracing. However, the World Health Organization's suggestions to isolate, test, treat, and trace contacts are difficult to implement in the resourcelimited developing world. The points to weigh before performing deceased-donor organ transplant in developing countries are as follows: limitations in standard personal protective equipment (as approved by the World Health Organization), testing kits, asymptomatic infections, negative-pressure isolation rooms, intensive care unit beds, ventilator support, telehealth, availability of trained health care workers, hospital beds, the changing dynamic of this pandemic, the unwillingness of recipients, education updates, and additional burdens on the existing health care system. This pandemic has created ethical dilemmas on how to prioritize the use of our facilities, equipment, and supplies in the cash-strapped developing world. We believe that, at the present time, we should aim to resolve the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting a large sector of the population by diverting efforts from deceased-donor organ transplant. Transplant units should conduct case-bycase evaluations when assessing the convenience of carrying out lifesaving deceased-donor organ transplant, appropriately balanced with the resources needed to address the current pandemic.

Clinical Profile and Outcome of COVID-19 in 250 Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Cohort Study From India.

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of data on the consequences of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) infections in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) from emerging countries. METHODS: Here, we present a cohort study of 13 transplant centers in India including 250 KTR (226 living and 24 deceased donors) with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed COVID-19 positivity from March 23, 2020, until September 15, 2020. We detailed demographics, immunosuppression regimen, clinical profile, treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: Median age of transplant recipients was 43 years, and recipients presented at a median of 3.5 years after transplant. Most common comorbidities (94%) included arterial hypertension (84%) and diabetes (32%); presenting symptoms at the time of COVID-19 included fever (88%), cough (72%), and sputum production (52%). Clinical severity ranged from asymptomatic (6%), mild (60%), and moderate (20%) to severe (14%). Strategies to modify immunosuppressants included discontinuation of antimetabolites without changes in calcineurin inhibitors and steroids (60%). Risk factors for mortality included older age; dyspnea; severe disease; obesity; allograft dysfunction before COVID-19 infection; acute kidney injury; higher levels of inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 level, and procalcitonin; chest X-ray abnormality, and intensive care unit/ventilator requirements. Overall patient mortality was 11.6% (29 of 250), 14.5% (29 of 200) in hospitalized patients, 47% (25 of 53) in intensive care unit patients, and 96.7% (29 of 30) in patients requiring ventilation. KTRs with mild COVID-19 symptoms (n = 50) were managed as outpatients to optimize the utilization of scarce resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates in COVID-19-positive KTR appear to be higher than those in nonimmunosuppressed patients, and high mortality was noted among those requiring intensive care and those on ventilator.

Two Decades of Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation at Ahmedabad, India.

OBJECTIVES: Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Kerala, Chandigarh, and Karnataka are states in India with active programs for deceased donor kidney transplant. We report our experience of 2 decades of deceased donor kidney transplant at the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Center, Dr. H. L. Trivedi Institute of Transplantation Sciences, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center retrospective study comprised data from 831 deceased donor kidney transplant recipients between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2018. Mean recipient age was 38 ± 14 years; 564 were male, and 267 were female. Mean donor age was 45.3 ± 17.13 years; 565 were men, and 266 were women. RESULTS: Between January 1, 1997 and March 15, 2020, 5838 kidney transplants were completed, including 4895 living donor kidney transplants, 943 deceased donor kidney transplants, and 440 kidney paired donation transplants. Over the mean follow-up time of 8 ± 5.4 years, patient survival rate was 70% (n = 581) and death-censored graft survival rate was 84% (n = 698). Delayed graft function was shown in 210 patients (25%) and biopsy-proven acute rejection rate in 180 patients (21%). Our experience of favorable outcomes with deceased donor kidney transplants has expanded the donor pool in many ways, including transplant from expanded criteria donors to younger recipients; transplant from older donors to older recipients; donation after cardiac death; successful intercity organ procurement; dual-kidney transplant; en bloc transplant from a pediatric deceased donor; and transplant from brain death deceased donors who died from neurotoxic snakebite, recurrent primary brain tumor, bacterial meningitis, or head injury, or with disseminated intravascular coagulation and deranged renal functions. The pathway to increase organ donation was investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Deceased donor kidney transplant can achieve acceptable graft function with patient/graft survival, which may encourage the use of this approach to increase the number of available organs.

Robotic Assisted Dual Kidney Transplantation With Monolateral Iliac Vessels.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the surgical technique of dual kidney transplantation in ipsilateral iliac fossa using da Vinci Si robotic platform METHODS: Dual kidneys from expanded criteria deceased donor were used in single recipients using robotic platform in 6 recipients. Following bench surgery, both kidneys were again placed into preservation fluid and ice-box. Robot was docked between 2 legs of the recipient. Common iliac and external iliac vessels on right side were dissected using robotic instruments. A 7 cm pfannenstiel incision was placed and one kidney was dropped into the abdomen; external aponeurosis was closed to restore the pneumoperitoneum. First kidney vascular anastomosis was done with common iliac vessels. Second kidney was introduced through the same wound and transplanted with external iliac vessels. Both ureters were implanted separately into the bladder. RESULTS: Between January 2013 and December 2017, 6 patients had dual robotic-assisted laparoscopic kidney transplantation. All procedures were carried out successfully without conversion to open operation. Mean time for venous anastomosis, arterial anastomosis and total operation were 16.4 (10-19) minutes, 17.5 (13-24) minutes, and 359.1 (265-500) minutes. Mean blood loss was 188.3 (80-300) ml. Two patients had delayed graft function. One patient expired 3 months following transplant due to pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Using 7 cm Pfannenstiel incision, dual robotic-assisted laparoscopic kidney transplantation with common iliac and external iliac vessels is technically feasible.

Donor and Recipient Outcomes of Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in Obese Versus Nonobese Donors: A Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Obese donors are increasingly accepted for living kidney donation. Obese individuals benefit the most from minimal access surgery; however, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy may be technically challenging in these individuals. Retroperitoneal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (RLDN) in particular may be hampered by excessive perinephric fat. We performed a prospective nonrandomized controlled study comparing outcomes of RLDN in obese and nonobese kidney donors. AIM: To compare operative parameters, donor complications, and recipient outcomes in RLDN performed in obese and nonobese donors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 2014 to April 2016, 200 donors underwent RLDN. Of these, 160 were nonobese (group I), and 40 were obese (group II). Preoperative parameters including body mass index, age, and sex, and operative parameters including total operative time, warm ischemia time, and estimated blood loss were recorded. Complications were compared using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Recipients' serum creatinine at day 7, 15, and 30 was compared between recipients who received grafts from obese and nonobese donors. RESULTS: There were 17.5% right-sided donors in group I and 15% in group II. Operative time, warm ischemia time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and complications were similar in the 2 groups, and there were no statistically significant differences. Serum creatinine in the recipients was similar on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: RLDN is safe and efficacious in obese donors. It gives all the benefits of minimal-access surgery without compromising on recipient outcomes.

Retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: A single-center Indian experience.

OBJECTIVE: Retroperitoneoscopy, by avoiding peritoneal breach and injury to intra-abdominal organs, provides a more direct and rapid access to the kidney and the renal hilum. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy by retroperitoneal route (LPNR) is less commonly performed than transperitoneal route for early stage renal cancer. The objective of this study is to carry out the outcomes of partial nephrectomy using retroperitoneal approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients, who underwent LPNR from period 2008 to 2014, were retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes of interest included demographic data, preoperative data, perioperative variables, surgical complications, recurrence of disease, and mortality, if any, during their follow-up. RESULTS: Among 24 patients, 16 were male, and 8 were female. Mean age and mean body mass index, respectively, were 49.16 years (range: 25-75) and 25.35 kg/m2 (17.84-34.25). Among renal masses, the right-sided to left-sided distribution was 13:11. The proportions of low-risk and intermediate-risk nephrometry score (NS) cases were 13 (54.17%) and 11 (45.83%), respectively, as assessed by renal NS. Mean operative duration, mean warm ischemia time, mean estimated blood loss, and mean hospital stay, respectively, were 132.5 min (90-170), 21.83 min (15-44), 106 ml (25-300) ml, and 5.25 days. During the postoperative period, complications encountered were lung atelectasis in one, bleeding in two, and urinary leakage in one. Histopathology revealed malignancy in 23 patients and leiomyoma in the remaining one. All patients but two experienced a disease free survival during a median follow- up period of 33 months. CONCLUSION: Overall outcomes for LPNR is comparable to the outcomes for open and transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy mentioned in the literature and is equally safe for the right-sided and left-sided lesions.

Kidney exchange transplantation current status, an update and future perspectives.

Kidney exchange transplantation is well established modality to increase living donor kidney transplantation. Reasons for joining kidney exchange programs are ABO blood group incompatibility, immunological incompatibility (positive cross match or donor specific antibody), human leukocyte antigen (HLA) incompatibility (poor HLA matching), chronological incompatibility and financial incompatibility. Kidney exchange transplantation has evolved from the traditional simultaneous anonymous 2-way kidney exchange to more complex ways such as 3-way exchange, 4-way exchange, n-way exchange,compatible pair, non-simultaneous kidney exchange,non-simultaneous extended altruistic donor, never ending altruistic donor, kidney exchange combined with desensitization, kidney exchange combined with ABO incompatible kidney transplantation, acceptable mismatch transplant, use of A2 donor to O patients, living donor-deceased donor list exchange, domino chain, non-anonymous kidney exchange, single center, multicenter, regional, National, International and Global kidney exchange. Here we discuss recent advances in kidney exchanges such as International kidney exchange transplantation in a global environment, three categories of advanced donation program, deceased donors as a source of chain initiating kidneys, donor renege myth or reality, pros and cons of anonymity in developed world and (non-) anonymity in developing world, pros and cons of donor travel vs kidney transport, algorithm for management of incompatible donor-recipient pairs and pros and cons of Global kidney exchange. The participating transplant teams and donor-recipient pairs should make the decision by consensus about kidney donor travel vs kidney transport and anonymity vs non-anonymity in allocation as per local resources and logistics. Future of organ transplantation in resource-limited setting will be liver vs kidney exchange, a legitimate hope or utopia?

Four-Way Kidney Exchange Transplant With Desensitization Increases Access to Living-Donor Kidney Transplant: First Report From India.

OBJECTIVES: This study reports our experience of the first 4-way kidney exchange transplant combined with desensitization in India, which allows increased access to living-donor kidney transplant for sensitized patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-way kidney exchange transplant procedures were approved by the ethics committee of our institution and the Organ Transplantation Authorization Committee of state governments of India (as per the Transplantation of Human Organs Act of India). The protocols conformed to Declaration of Istanbul principles and the ethical guidelines of the 1975 Helsinki Declaration. Written informed consent was obtained from patients, donors, and their guardians. RESULTS: In April 2016, our transplant team completed simultaneous 4-way kidney exchange transplant procedures without any medical (rejection and infections) or surgical complications. Reasons for being included for kidney exchange transplant were ABO incom-patible (2 recipients) and sensitization (2 recipients). All 4 recipients had stable graft function with no proteinuria and donor-specific antibody at 11-month follow-up on standard triple immunosup-pression. Patient and graft survival rates were both 100%. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first single-center report of 4-way kidney exchange transplant combined with desensitization from India. This procedure has the potential to expand living-donor kidney transplant in disadvantaged groups (eg, sensitized patients). Recipients who are hard to match due to high panel reactive antibody and difficult to desensitize due to strong donor-specific antibodies can receive a transplant with a combination of kidney exchange and desensitization. Our study suggests that 4-way kidney exchange transplant can be performed in developing countries (India) similar to that shown in programs in developed countries with team work, kidney exchange registry, and counseling.

Pure retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy in duplication of inferior vena cava: A series of four cases.

AIM: Complex vascular anatomy poses a major challenge to the donor surgeon. Here, we have described the technical nuances in retroperitoneoscopic living donor nephrectomy for the left kidney in the situations of a rare vascular anomaly of duplication of inferior vena. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2005 and June 2016, 1460 retroperitoneoscopic living donor nephrectomy were carried out in single surgical unit of our institution. Out of these four donors were found to have duplication of inferior vena cava (IVC). We retrospectively analyzed the prospectively collected data of these donors and studied the operative details for managing the duplicated limb of the IVC. RESULTS: The mean age of the donors was 42.5 (range 30-54) years. Mean body mass index was 26.9 (range 25.2-28.6) kg/m2. Mean operative time (defined as between giving skin incision to the skin closure [O. T]), was 230 (range 185-310 min). Mean Warm ischemia time (defined from clamping of the renal artery to the starting of the cold HTK perfusion, [WIT]) was 136 s (range 105-178 s). In two cases, the renal vein could be controlled distal to the duplicated limb. In one case, the duplicated limb was clipped while in another a stapler was used to take a cuff of IVC. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy can be performed safely in cases of duplication of IVC. Preoperative computerized tomography angiography with vascular reconstruction and surgical expertise is desirable in carrying out the procedure.

Seventy-seven kidney paired donation transplantations at a single transplant centre in India led to an increase in living donor kidney transplantations in 2015.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the validity of kidney paired donations (KPDs) as an alternative strategy for increasing living donor kidney transplantations (LDKTs) in an LDKT-dominated transplant programme since directed kidney transplantation, ABO-incompatible or crossmatch-positive pairs are not feasible due to costs and infectious complications. METHODS: This was a prospective single-centre study of 77 KPD transplantations (25 two-way, 7 three-way and 1 six-way exchange) from 1 January 2015 to 1 January 2016 of 158 registered donor recipient pairs. During this period, a total of 380 kidney transplantations [71 deceased donor kidney transplantations (DDKTs), 309 LDKTs] were performed. The reasons for opting for KPD were ABO incompatibility (n = 45), sensitization (n = 26) and better matching (n = 6). RESULTS: KPD matching was facilitated in 62% (n = 98) of transplants. In all, 48.7% (n = 77) of the transplants were completed in 2015, whereas 13.3% (n = 21) of the matched patients were to undergo transplant surgery in early 2016 after getting legal permission. The waiting time for KPD was shorter compared with DDKT. The death-censored graft survival and patient survival were 98.7% (n = 76) and 93.5% (n = 72), respectively. In all, 14.2% (n = 11) of patients had acute rejection. Match rates among sensitized (n = 60) and O group patients (n = 62) were 58.3% (n = 35) and 41.9% (n = 26), respectively. Of these, 43.3% (n = 26) and 29% (n = 18) of transplants were completed and 15% (n = 9) and 12.9% (n = 8), respectively, are waiting for legal permission. CONCLUSIONS: LDKT increased by 25% in 1 year in our single-centre KPD programme. Our key to success was the formation of a KPD registry, awareness and active counselling programs and developing a dedicated team.