Successful human kidney preservation by intracellular electrolyte flush followed by cold storage for more than 48 hours

Transplantation of cadaver kidneys after flushing with an ice-cold intracellular electrolyte solution is inhibited by arbitrary time limits on cold ischemia. During the 25-month interval ending March 22, 1982 we transplanted 7 kidneys preserved by this method and cold-stored for 48.2 to 61.4 hours. Of the recipients 86 per cent required dialysis within 1 week after transplantation, the mean serum creatinine nadir within 1 month was 2.1 mg./dl. and the graft survival at 1 month was 71 per cent. The 1-year actuarial cadaver graft survival was 69.2 plus or minus 18.1 per cent. Kidneys preserved by this simple method can be transplanted successfully after 48 hours of simple cold storage.