Kidney autotransplantation after nephrectomy and work bench surgery as an ultimate approach to nephron-sparing surgery

A Decade of Surgical Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma with IVC Thrombus and Bilateral Renal Tumors: Emphasis on Auto-transplantation

To assess the surgical outcomes and techniques in managing renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus and bilateral renal tumors with a focus on the role of autotransplantation in complex cases, this retrospective study analyzed 58 patients treated at our center between 2013 and 2023 for RCC with tumor thrombus extending into the IVC and, in some cases, the right atrium (RA). Surgical management included radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy with techniques adapted to thrombus level. For level I and II thrombi, innovative occluding maneuvers were used to control the contralateral renal vein. For level IV thrombi, a beating heart technique combined with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was employed. Of the 10 patients with bilateral renal tumors, 2 underwent autotransplantation and 8 underwent bilateral partial nephrectomy. In this 10-year retrospective study of 58 patients with either RCC with venous tumor extension or bilateral RCC, 40 males and 18 females, with a mean age of 66 ± 8 years. Tumor involvement was predominantly right-sided (72.4%). Thrombus levels included 53.44% Level I, 25.9% Level II, and 3.4% Level IV. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were minimal, affecting 10 patients; patients with Level I thrombus had a better survival rate; and one patient with Level IV thrombus died postoperatively. The mean blood loss was 360 mL and the mean operative time was 195 minutes. Histopathology revealed clear cell carcinoma in 65.5% of cases. Among the 10 patients with bilateral renal tumors, autotransplantation and partial nephrectomies resulted in excellent renal preservation and favorable outcomes. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of radical nephrectomy and thrombectomy for RCC with venous tumor extension. Tailored surgical techniques, including autotransplantation for bilateral tumors, resulted in excellent outcomes with minimal complications. Personalized surgical strategies were key to preserving renal function and improving survival in complex RCC cases.

Clinical advances in kidney autotransplantation: a review

Kidney autotransplantation is a surgical procedure with multiple indications and advancing technological approaches. Kidney autotransplantation is used to address complex kidney-related diseases including renal vascular lesions, ureteral diseases, tumors, loin pain-hematuria syndrome, and conditions affecting a solitary kidney or both kidneys. Renal artery lesions, including aneurysms and stenoses, often necessitate kidney autotransplantation in cases involving renal artery bifurcation or distant failure of endovascular repair. Complex ureteral lesions such as ureteral avulsions are commonly treated with kidney autotransplantation. Renal tumors, especially centrally located tumors or those involving the renal hilum, are treated using this technique while preserving renal function. It is worth emphasizing that this would be a rarely used last-resort technique in the modern era of minimally invasive nephron-sparing surgery. Kidney autotransplantation may be indicated for the rare condition of loin pain-hematuria syndrome when conservative measures fail. Additionally, individuals with solitary or bilateral kidney disease benefit from kidney autotransplantation to preserve their renal function. Traditional open-kidney autotransplantation involves renal extraction, workbench repair, and renal reimplantation. Technological advancements have introduced minimally invasive techniques including laparoscopic- and robot-assisted kidney autotransplantation, which reduce surgical trauma and recovery times. These techniques have shown promising outcomes, and robotic platforms have the potential to further reduce complications. In this study, we reviewed diverse indications and recent technological innovations in the field of kidney autotransplantation.

Long segment ureterectomy with tapered demucosalized ileum replacement of ureter for ureteral cancer: a case report and literature review

Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder sleeve resection is currently the gold standard for the treatment of high-risk ureteral cancer. However, in certain special cases, such as bilateral upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC), isolated and chronic kidney disease, and low-risk UTUC, kidney sparing surgery(KSS) may represent a viable alternative, though it remains highly challenging. The current KSS options for ureteral cancer include endoscopic treatment, segmental ureterectomy, total ureterectomy combined with kidney autotransplantation and nephrostomy. These methods are associated with significant disadvantages, such as a high risk of recurrence and vascular-related complications. On the basis of previous studies, we creatively proposed a surgical method of long segment ureterectomy with tapered demucosalized ileum(TDI) replacement of the ureter for ureteral cancer, and successfully performed this operation on a patient with ureteral cancer. The follow-up results showed that this surgical method provides good tumor control while preserving the patient's renal function and improves the inherent defect of the ileal replacement of the ureter, which is a feasible choice for patients with ureteral cancer and kidney preservation.

Clinical experience of bench surgery combined with autotransplantation after three-dimensional laparoscopic nephrectomy for the treatment of highly complex renal tumor

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility and safety of three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopic nephrectomy in combination with bench surgery and autotransplantation for treating highly complex renal tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical data of six patients with highly complex renal cell carcinoma were collected. All patients underwent 3D laparoscopic nephrectomy in combination with bench surgery and autotransplantation by the same surgeons, two of them had previously undergone laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for contralateral renal cancer.

RESULTS

The total operative time was 366 ± 65 min, the warm ischemia time (WIT) was 1.3 ± 0.4 min, and the cold ischemia time was 121 ± 26 min. While one patient received a diluted autologous blood transfusion, the intraoperative blood loss was 217 ± 194 ml. No increase in the serum creatinine (SCr) level was observed at postoperative day 30 compared with the preoperative time, and none of the patients received dialysis either during the hospital stay or to date. Although one patient underwent nephrectomy due to tumor recurrence in the transplanted kidney, the others reported no tumor recurrence or distant metastases on imaging to date.

CONCLUSION

3D laparoscopic nephrectomy, when combined with bench surgery and autotransplantation, can become a feasible option for treating highly complex renal cell carcinoma cases when expecting to preserve renal function maximally.

Single Port Robotic Kidney Autotransplantation: Initial Case Series and Description of Technique

PURPOSE

Minimally invasive kidney autotransplantation (KAT) has demonstrated reduced morbidity, however multiport robotic approach required patient repositioning and multiple sets of incisions. We present our initial series of single-port (SP) robotic KAT, ideal for multi-quadrant surgeries, and aim to evaluate feasibility and safety of the novel approach.

METHODS

Between 2018 and 2022, 8 consecutive patients underwent SP KAT using the DaVinci SP platform. Patient clinicopathologic variables and perioperative outcomes were recorded. Indications for KAT include complex or recurrent ureteral stricture, ureteral avulsion, and chronic visceral pain due to multiple etiologies.

RESULTS

All SP KATs were successfully performed without repositioning or conversion to open. Operative times ranged from 366 to 701 minutes, warm and cold ischemia times between 4 to 10 minutes and 86 to 209 minutes, respectively. Median hospital length of stay was 3 days. At a median of 13 months follow-up, latest postoperative GFRs were stable, ranging from +23% to -10%. There were no complications.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate our single port, multiquadrant robotic kidney auto transplantation technique performed though a single incision further reducing surgical morbidity. All cases were completed successfully without conversion or loss of graft function. All patients reported resolution of flank pain and no radiological evidence of urinary obstruction on follow up.

Indications for and results of renal autotransplantation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To understand the indications and outcomes of renal autotransplantation, and when to consider this unique procedure for patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Renal autotransplantation confers acceptably low rates of graft failure and prevents need for long-term dialysis. Renal autotransplantation remains an important management strategy in very select patients for complex renovascular disease, ureteral stricture disease, ureteral trauma, upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and Loin-Pain Hematuria Syndrome. With advancements in minimally invasive procedures, the application of renal autotransplantation for refractory stone disease is rare but exists. Robot-assisted laparoscopic renal autotransplantation demonstrates reproducible graft success and complication rates with improved perioperative outcomes (ex. hospital length of stay) - though comparative studies are lacking. Patients would benefit from a multidisciplinary approach from renal transplant surgeons, vascular surgeons, urologists, nephrologists, dieticians, pain management providers, social workers, and psychiatrists.

SUMMARY

In experienced hands, renal autotransplantation is a reasonable treatment approach for complex and refractory renal vascular disease, Loin-Pain Hematuria Syndrome, ureteral strictures and trauma, upper urinary tract malignancy, and stone disease in highly select patients.

Comprehensive Management of Renal Masses in Solitary Kidneys

BACKGROUND

A renal mass in a solitary kidney (RMSK) has traditionally been managed with partial nephrectomy (PN), although radical nephrectomy (RN) is occasionally required. Most RMSK studies have focused on patients for whom PN was achieved.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a comprehensive analysis of the management strategies/outcomes for an RMSK and address knowledge deficits regarding this challenging disorder.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1024 patients diagnosed with an RMSK (1975-2022) were retrospectively evaluated. Baseline characteristics and pathologic/functional/survival outcomes were analyzed.

INTERVENTION

PN/RN/cryoablation (CA)/active surveillance (AS).

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Functional outcomes, perioperative morbidity/mortality, and 5-yr recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests were used to compare cohorts, and log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were used for survival analysis.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Of 1024 patients, 842 underwent PN (82%), 102 CA (10%), 54 RN (5%), and 26 AS (3%). The median tumor size and RENAL([R]adius [tumor size as maximal diameter], [E]xophytic/endophytic properties of tumor, [N]earness of tumor deepest portion to collecting system or sinus, [A]nterior [a]/posterior [p] descriptor, and [L]ocation relative to polar lines) score were 3.7 cm and 8, respectively. The median follow-up was 53 mo. For PN, 95% were clamped, and the median warm and cold ischemia times were 22 and 45 min, respectively. For PN, the median preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 57 ml/min/1.73 m², and the median new baseline and 5-yr GFRs were 47 and 48 ml/min/1.73 m², respectively. Dialysis-free survival for PN was 97% at 5 yr. Twenty-two (2.1%) patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma and RENAL score ≥10 (median = 11) received tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to facilitate PN, leading to 57% median decrease of tumor volume; PN was accomplished in 20 (91%). Forty-one patients had planned RN (4.0%), most often due to severe pre-existing chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 13 were converted from PN to RN (1.5%). Clavien III-V perioperative complications were observed in 80 (8%) patients and 90-d mortality was 0.6%. Five-year RFS for PN, CA, and RN were 83%, 80%, and 72%, respectively (p = 0.03 for PN vs RN).

CONCLUSIONS

Nephron-sparing approaches are feasible and successful in most RMSK patients. PN for an RMSK is often challenging but can be facilitated by selective use of TKIs. RN is occasionally required due to severe CKD, over-riding oncologic concerns, or conversion from PN. This is the first large RMSK study to provide a comprehensive analysis of all management strategies/outcomes.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Kidney cancer in a solitary kidney is a major challenge for achieving cancer-free status and avoiding dialysis. Although partial nephrectomy is the principal treatment for a renal mass in a solitary kidney, other options are occasionally required to optimize outcomes.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma in Germany: epidemiological data and surgical treatment trends in a total population analysis from 2006 to 2019

PURPOSE

To report contemporary epidemiological data and treatment trends for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in Germany over a 14-year period.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the nationwide German hospital billing database and the German cancer registry from 2006 to 2018/2019. The significance of changes over time was evaluated via regression analysis. Survival outcomes were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

There was a non-significant increase in the age-standardized incidence rate from 2.5/100,000 in 2006 to 2.9/100.000 in 2018. 13% of patients presented with lymph node metastasis and 7.6% of patients presented with distant metastasis at primary diagnosis. The 5-year overall survival was estimated at 45% and the 10-year overall survival at 32%. Endoscopic biopsies of the renal pelvis and ureter as well as ureteroscopies with excision/destruction of UTUC all increased significantly over the study period. The number of radical nephroureterectomies (RNU) for UTUC steadily increased from 1643 cases in 2006 to 2238 cases in 2019 (p < 0.005) with a shift from open surgery towards minimally invasive surgery. Complex reconstructive procedures like ileal ureter replacement or autotransplantation are rarely performed for urothelial carcinoma of the ureter.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for UTUC have increased and minimally invasive nephroureterectomy is the predominant approach concerning radical surgery in 2019.

Ex vivo tumor dissection followed by kidney autotransplantation in bilateral wilms tumor

INTRODUCTION

Successful management of bilateral Wilm's tumor (BWT) involves a radical resection while preserving enough normal kidney tissue. Nephron-sparing surgery often results in an R1/R2 resection with a high recurrence rate in children with huge or multiple tumors, or tumors proximity to the renal hilum. In contrast, kidney autotransplantation can completely resect the tumor while maintaining homeostasis and preserving the patient's healthy kidney tissues.

METHODS

We summarized the clinical data of 8 synchronous BWT patients who underwent kidney autotransplantation at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2018 to 2020. Ex vivo tumor resection and kidney autotransplantions were performed on 11 kidneys. The baseline characteristics, perioperative management, and survival status were reported.

RESULTS

Nephron-sparing surgeries were performed on 5 kidneys in vivo. Among all the 8 patients, six of them (75%) received staged operation and the other 2 patients (25%) received single-stage operation. No residual tumors were found on the postoperative imaging in all the 8 patients. In total, 6 (75%) patients occurred complications after the autotransplantation, among which, 2 (33.3%) patients had complication of Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa, and 4 (66.7%) patients had complication of grade < 3. During the 38 months of follow-up, 87.5% (7/8) of patients were tumor-free survival with normal renal function. One patient died from renal failure without tumor recurrence.

DISCUSSION

Therefore, our study indicated that autologous kidney transplantation can be an option for patients with complex BWT if the hospital's surgical technique and perioperative management conditions are feasible.

Bench surgery with autotransplantation for bilateral Wilms tumor-A feasible technique for renal sinus invasion

Purpose

Bilateral Wilms tumor (BWT) with renal sinus invasion requires extremely difficult surgical care. This study presents an alternative strategy for tumor removal while at the same time preserving the renal parenchyma.

Materials and methods

In total, 9 cases of synchronous BWT were admitted to our hospital between May 2016 to Aug 2020. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data, surgical technique, and functional and oncological outcomes of these cases.

Results

The 9 cases included 3 males and 6 females, with a median age of 12 months at surgery (range 7-40). A total of 14 kidney units had renal sinus invasion (77.8%), whereas multifocal neoplasms were observed in 7 units (38.9%). The local stage distribution revealed 1 kidney with stage I, 10 kidneys with stage II, and 7 kidneys with stage III. Nephron-sparing surgery was performed on 15 kidney units (83.3%), among which 13 (72.2%) underwent bench surgery with autotransplantation (BS-AT), whereas 2 (11.1%) were subjected to tumor enucleation in vivo. Urinary leakage was the most prevalent postoperative complication. We observed negative margins. During the mean follow-up of 28.4 months, 2 patients (22.2%) succumbed from sepsis and renal failure, respectively, whereas the other 7 (77.8%) survived without recurrence. Survivors experienced an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 81 ± 15.4 ml/(min × 1.73 m²). The endpoint renal volume of 9 renal units receiving BS-AT significantly increased (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

In summary, the surgical management of bilateral Wilms tumor requires meticulous operative approach and technique. Besides, BS-AT provides a viable alternative to nephron-sparing surgery for BWT patients with renal sinus invasion.

Kidney Autotransplantation in the Management of Residual Retroperitoneal Mass in a Germ Cell Tumor

The main indication for kidney autotransplantation is ureteric disease, although it is also performed to treat renovascular diseases or neoplasms, such as complex intrasinusal kidney tumors or in patients with a solitary kidney. Only a few cases of kidney autotransplantation in the context of resection of complex retroperitoneal masses have been reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 26-year-old man with history of nonseminomatous germ cell tumor who had undergone a left radical orchiectomy 3 months earlier. Follow-up computed tomography revealed a residual retroperitoneal postchemotherapy mass involving the renal hilum. It was surgically removed via en bloc resection and bench ex vivo nephron-sparing surgery, and subsequently autotransplantation, thereby avoiding the necessity of nephrectomy and the resulting risk of chronic kidney disease. The pathology of the excised specimen demonstrated mixed germ cell tumor, composed of immature teratoma and yolk sac tumor, and confirmed tumor-free margins. CONCLUSIONS: This technique should be taken into account in selected patients as an alternative to radical nephrectomy when a retroperitoneal tumor is unresectable using standard surgical techniques or when a radical nephrectomy is considered, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease or solitary kidney, or in young patients who will potentially need nephrotoxic chemotherapy.

The application of internal traction technique in retroperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for renal ventral tumors

Background

For patients with prior intra-abdominal surgery or multiple arteries, the retroperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (rRAPN) is a better choice. The renal ventral tumor poses an additional challenge due to poor tumor exposure. This study is determined to assess the feasibility of an internal traction technique (ITT) in rRAPN for the management of renal ventral tumors.

Methods

From November 2019 to March 2021, a total of 28 patients with renal ventral tumor underwent rRAPN. All patients had prior abdominal surgery or multiple arteries. The ITT group (20 patients), which improved the tumor exposure by traction of the kidney with suture, was compared with the traditional technique group (8 patients) in terms of warm ischemia time, estimated blood loss and postoperative hospital stay, retroperitoneal drainage, R.E.N.A.L. score, and serum creatinine. Differences were considered significant when P < 0.05.

Results

All rRAPN surgeries were successful without conversion to radical nephrectomy or open partial nephrectomy. The warm ischemia time was lower in the ITT group (17.10 min vs. 24.63 min; P < 0.05). Estimated blood loss in the traditional technique group was 324.88 ± 79.42 mL, and in the ITT group, it was 117.45±35.25 mL (P < 0.05). No significant differences with regard to postoperative hospital stay, retroperitoneal drainage, R.E.N.A.L. score, and serum creatinine were observed between both groups. Surgical margins were negative and no intraoperative complications occurred in all the patients. After 10 months of follow-up, no recurrence or metastasis occurred in all cases.

Conclusion

ITT is a feasible, safe, and valid procedure in rRAPN for renal ventral tumors. Application of ITT improved the exposure and reduces warm ischemic time in comparison with the conventional procedure.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-022-02684-1.

Histopathological validation of safe margin for nephron-sparing surgery based on individual tumor growth pattern

Background

To evaluate the clinicopathologic value of morphological growth patterns of small renal cell carcinoma (sRCC) and determine the actual demand for taking a rim of healthy parenchyma to avoid positive SM.

Methods

Data was collected from 560 sRCC patients who underwent laparoscopic surgeries from May 2010 to October 2017. One hundred forty-nine cases received nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) and others received radical nephrectomy (RN). All specimens were analyzed separately by two uropathologists, and three morphological growth patterns were identified. The presence of pseudocapsule (PC), surgical margins (SM), and other routine variables were recorded. The relationship between growth patterns and included variables was measured by the χ² test and Fisher’s exact probability test. Survival outcomes were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test.

Results

The median age of patients was 63.2 years old and the mean tumor diameter was 3.0 cm. Four hundred eighty (85.7%) cases were clear cell RCC and 541 (96.6%) cases were at the pT1a stage. Peritumoral PC was detected in 512 (92.5%) specimens, and the ratio of tumor invasion in PC in infiltration pattern increased obviously than that of the other growth patterns. Similarly, the pT stage was significantly correlated with the infiltration pattern as well. One hundred forty-nine patients underwent NSS and 3 (2.0%) of them showed positive SM after operation. Statistical differences of the 5-year overall survival (OS) and the cancer-specific survival (CSS) existed between different morphological growth patterns, PC status, and pT stages.

Conclusions

Morphological growth patterns of sRCC might be used as a potential biomarker to help operate NSS to avoid the risk of positive SM. How to distinguish different morphological growth patterns before operation and the effectiveness of the growth pattern as a novel proposed parameter to direct NSS in sRCC patients deserves further exploration.

[Clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment in children with renal malignant tumors]

OBJECTIVE

To study the long-term clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) in children with renal malignant tumors.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 55 children with renal malignant tumors who were diagnosed and treated with MDT in 3 hospitals in Hunan Province from January 2015 to January 2020, with GD-WT-2010 and CCCG-WT-2016 for treatment regimens. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the survival of the children.

RESULTS

Of the 55 children, 10 had stage I tumor, 14 had stage Ⅱ tumor, 22 had stage Ⅲ tumor, 7 had stage IV tumor, and 2 had stage V tumor. As for pathological type, 47 had FH type and 8 had UFH type. All children underwent complete tumor resection. Of the 55 children, 14 (25%) received preoperative chemotherapy. All children, except 1 child with renal cell carcinoma, received postoperative chemotherapy. Among the 31 children with indication for radiotherapy, 21 (68%) received postoperative radiotherapy. One child died of postoperative metastasis. The incidence rate of FH-type myelosuppression was 94.4%, and the incidence rate of UFH-type myelosuppression was 100%. The median follow-up time was 21 months and the median survival time was 26 months for all children, with an overall survival rate of 98% and an event-free survival rate of 95%.

CONCLUSIONS

Multicenter MDT has the advantages of high success rate of operation and good therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in the treatment of children with renal malignant tumors, with myelosuppression as the most common side effects, and radiotherapy is safe and effective with few adverse events. Therefore, MDT has good feasibility, safety, and economy.

[Clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment in children with renal malignant tumors]

OBJECTIVE

To study the long-term clinical effect of multicenter multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) in children with renal malignant tumors.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 55 children with renal malignant tumors who were diagnosed and treated with MDT in 3 hospitals in Hunan Province from January 2015 to January 2020, with GD-WT-2010 and CCCG-WT-2016 for treatment regimens. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to analyze the survival of the children.

RESULTS

Of the 55 children, 10 had stage I tumor, 14 had stage Ⅱ tumor, 22 had stage Ⅲ tumor, 7 had stage IV tumor, and 2 had stage V tumor. As for pathological type, 47 had FH type and 8 had UFH type. All children underwent complete tumor resection. Of the 55 children, 14 (25%) received preoperative chemotherapy. All children, except 1 child with renal cell carcinoma, received postoperative chemotherapy. Among the 31 children with indication for radiotherapy, 21 (68%) received postoperative radiotherapy. One child died of postoperative metastasis. The incidence rate of FH-type myelosuppression was 94.4%, and the incidence rate of UFH-type myelosuppression was 100%. The median follow-up time was 21 months and the median survival time was 26 months for all children, with an overall survival rate of 98% and an event-free survival rate of 95%.

CONCLUSIONS

Multicenter MDT has the advantages of high success rate of operation and good therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in the treatment of children with renal malignant tumors, with myelosuppression as the most common side effects, and radiotherapy is safe and effective with few adverse events. Therefore, MDT has good feasibility, safety, and economy.

Open partial nephrectomy: current review

Partial nephrectomy (PN) is increasingly considered the gold standard treatment for localized renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) where technically feasible. The advantage of nephron-sparing surgery lies in preservation of parenchyma and hence renal function. However, this advantage is counterbalanced with increased surgical risk. In recent years with the popularization of minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (laparoscopic and robotic), the contemporary role of open PN (OPN) has changed. OPN has several advantages, particularly in complex patients such as those with a solitary kidney, multi-focal tumors, and significant surgical history, as well as providing improved application of renoprotective measures. As such, it is a technique that remains relevant in current urology practice. In this article we discuss the evidence, indications, operative considerations and surgical technique, along with the role of OPN in contemporary nephron-sparing surgery.

Assessment of Restored Kidney Transplantation Including the Use of Wider Criteria for Accepting Renal Donors After Cancer Excision

The transplantation of kidneys after cancer excision (restored kidney transplantation, RKT) warrants further evaluation as a source of kidneys for transplantation. We determined whether larger cancers can be safely transplanted, the risks of adverse events from RKT, and whether RKT confers a survival advantage for patients waiting for transplantation.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort study, 23 dialysis patients awaiting transplant underwent RKT at John Hunter Hospital, Australia between 2008 and 2015. Patients were >60 years old and accepted onto the National Organ Matching Service. This RKT Group was divided into donor renal cancers ≤30 mm and >30-≤50 mm. Adverse event profiles for RKT recipients were compared with 22 standard live donor recipients using logistic regression analyses. Recipient and transplant survivals for RKT were compared with 2050 controls from Australian New Zealand Dialysis Transplant Registry using Cox regression models. To increase statistical power for survival analyses, data from 25 RKT recipients from Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane were added, thus creating 48 RKT recipients.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in mortality, transplant failure nor AEs between the 2 cancer Groups. RKT increased the risks of Adverse event profiles (odds ratio: 6.48 [2.92-15.44]; P < 0.001). RKT reduced mortality risk by 30% (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.70 [0.36-1.07]; P = 0.299) compared with those continuing on the transplant list who may or may not be transplanted. RKT significantly reduced mortality risk for those remaining on dialysis (HR: 2.86 [1.43-5.72]; P = 0.003). Transplant survival for RKT was reduced compared with control deceased donor (HR: 0.42 [0.21-0.83]; P = 0.013) and live donor transplants (HR: 0.33 [0.02-0.86]; P =0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of larger carefully selected cancer-resected kidneys for transplantation appears safe and effective. RKT confers a possible survival advantage compared with waiting for transplantation, an increased survival compared with those remaining on dialysis but reduced transplant survival.