Even Damaged Kidneys can be Used for Transplants

Kidneys from deceased donors that have acute injuries are frequently discarded instead of being used for transplant. However, a news study published on March 11 in the American Journal of Transplantation suggests that some injured kidneys might still be suitable for transplant. Dr.Chirag Parikh, director of the Program of Applied Translational Research at Yale University, and his research team, tracked kidneys from 1,632 deceased donors and, as expected, found a link between acute kidney injury and kidneys being discarded. The researchers also found an association between injured kidneys and delayed graft function (DGF).

The scientists noted that patients who received injured kidneys were not at any higher risk for poor kidney function six months after their transplant. "What we saw was, with worsening acute kidney injury in the donor, the six-month outcome was actually better for recipients who experienced DGF," said Dr.Isaac Hall, first author, and an investigator at the university.

According to researchers, kidney function, six months after transplant, was worse for patients with DGF who received a kidney with no apparent injury, compared to those who got an injured kidney.

“One possible reason for the finding is that while still in their donors, the injured kidneys may have developed a mechanism to protect themselves from the effects of further injury,” the author said.



Source-Medindia