Do multiple renal arteries in the remnant kidney have a negative influence on kidney donors after kidney donation?

AIM: To investigate whether the presence of multiple renal arteries in the remnant kidney has implications for lower renal function or increased incidence of hypertension.

METHODS: We reviewed the intraoperative and follow-up data of 101 live kidney donors who underwent nephrectomies at our institution. Sixty-nine donors (68.3%) had single artery in the remnant kidney (Group A), while 32 donors (31.7%) had multiple renal arteries in the remnant kidney (Group B). We compared the demographic and intraoperative data between the two groups. The follow-up data of donors in each group were divided into three subgroups based on the length of the follow-up period (12-24 months, 24-48 months and ≥48 months). Subgroups were created based on blood pressure and serum creatinine level. The δblood pressure (follow-up blood pressure minus preoperative blood pressure) and δserum creatinine (follow-up serum creatinine minus preoperative serum creatinine) in each subgroup in Group A were compared with the counterparts in Group B.

RESULTS: Renal arterial stenosis and calcification of renal arterial wall were not observed in all donors. There were no significant differences in the intraoperative characteristics (e.g. age, body mass index, operative duration and estimated blood loss) between the two groups. In addition, the blood pressure and serum creatinine level among subgroups within each group were similar. Furthermore, significant differences in δblood pressure and δserum creatinine were not observed between subgroups within the same follow-up period. Recipient survival rate and serum creatinine level were similar and acceptable in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The presence of multiple renal arteries in the remnant kidney does not have additional negative influence on kidney donors after kidney donation.