Renal grafts with multiple arteries: a relative contraindication for a renal transplant?

INTRODUCTION

Advances in surgical techniques had achieved good outcomes in renal transplantation. There has been controversy with respect to the impact of multiple arteries on the outcome of the renal transplantations.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to examine the renal function and incidence of complications among grafts with one versus two or more arteries.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We evaluated 86 patients with renal transplantations between January 2006 and January 2008 as a retrospective comparative study. The patients were stratified according to the number of renal graft arteries: group 1 had one artery (n = 66); group 2, two or more arteries (n = 16).

RESULTS

The warm ischemia time was shorter among group 1 compared with group 2 (P < .03). There were significant differences between the groups with respect to mean blood pressure at 1 year (P < .04). The kidney biopsies after 1-year follow-up did not show any difference.

CONCLUSION

We considered that the presence of anatomic variations was not a contraindication for renal transplantation, but that it is necessary to continue our follow-up to determine the real impact of these variations on graft and patient survivals.