Orthotopic kidney transplantation in mice: technique using cuff for renal vein anastomosis

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 14;8(10):e77278. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077278. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Mouse renal transplantation is a technically challenging procedure. Although the first kidney transplants in mice were performed over 34 years ago and refined some years later, the classical techniques of mouse renal transplantation required clamping both vena cava and aorta simultaneously and carry out suture anastomoses of the renal artery and vein in a heterotopic position. In our laboratory, we have successfully developed mouse orthotopic kidney transplantation for the first time, using a rapid "cuffed" renal vein technique for vessel anastomosis, wherein the donor's renal vein was inserted through an intravenous catheter, folded back and tied. During grafting, the cuffed renal vein was directly inserted into the recipient's renal vein without the need for the clamping vena cava and suturing of renal vein. This technique allowed for the exact transplantation of the kidney into the original position, compared to the classical technique, and has significantly shortened the clamping time due to a quicker and precise anastomosis of renal vein as described. This also allowed for a quicker recovery of the lower extremity activity, reduction in myoglobinuria with resultant kidney graft survival of 88.9%. Thus we believe that the cuffed renal vein technique simplifies microvascular anastomoses and affords important additional benefits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anastomosis, Surgical
  • Animals
  • Kidney Function Tests
  • Kidney Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Operative Time
  • Proteinuria / physiopathology
  • Renal Veins / surgery*
  • Urologic Surgical Procedures / instrumentation*
  • Urologic Surgical Procedures / methods*

Grants and funding

This project was funded by grants from the 973 project 2003CB5500, the National Nature Science Foundation of China. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.