Goals: To evaluate functional results and complications in a group of pediatric patients who received kidney transplants from donors aged 6 years or less.
Material & methods: Thirty-four consecutive renal transplants were reviewed. Of 34 patients, 19 (55.8%) received kidneys from donors aged below 3 years (Group A) and 15 (44.2%) from donors aged 3-6 years (Group B). Long-term functional patient and graft survival results along with complications were compared in both groups.
Results: Seven patients in group A (36.7%) had vascular complications, in comparison to 3 in group B (20%, p<0.05). Kidneys preserved in Eurocollins (EC) solution had more vascular complications (35.3%) in comparison to University of Wisconsin (UW) solution kidneys (23.5%, p<0.05). Ten-year graft survival rate in group A was significantly lower in comparison to group B (35.5% vs 58.6%, p<0.05). In relation to preservation solution type used, 10-year graft survival rate was also significantly better in UW group (26.8% vs 63%, p<0.001).
Conclusions: The exclusion of donors younger than 3 years and the utilization of optimal preservation solutions produces a decrease in figures of vascular complications and a significant improvement in graft survival rates.