Comparison of right and left grafts in renal transplantation.

This study compares outcomes and graft function of right and left grafts of deceased donor. We studied 120 kidney recipients from 60 deceased donors in Shiraz organ transplantation center from 1988 to 2004. We analyzed data regarding age, gender, side of grafts, duration of pre-transplant dialysis, hospital stay, serial creatinine levels, cold ischemic time, complications, graft function, patient survival rates, and post-operative complications. Recipients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of 60 recipients who received right renal graft (43 males, 17 females; mean age: 33.6 +/- 7.3 years), and group 2 consisted of 60 recipients who received left renal graft (45 males, 15 females; mean age: 29.2 +/- 6.4 years). No statistically significant differences were found in duration of pre-transplant dialysis, cold ischemic time, acute rejection rates, post-operative surgical and vascular complications' rates, hospital stay, renal function, and one year graft survival rates. We conclude that although it is advised to use left kidney from live donors because of longer vessel length, easier surgical technique and organ handling, and shorter ischemic time, we got the same outcome in left and right deceased renal grafts.