Background: Little is known about the influence of the duration of the kidney back-table preparation period and kidney temperature on graft outcomes after transplantation. The aim of this study is to investigate the back-table duration and its relation to graft outcome and the relation between kidney temperature and graft outcome.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, deceased donor kidney temperature is measured at fixed time points using an infrared thermometer during back-table preparation and transplantation. Additionally, the back-table duration is measured using a timer.
Results: Between September 2020 and July 2021, 49 kidneys were prospectively included in this study. Median back-table duration was 33.7 (standard deviation ± 14.1) min and donor kidney temperature increased up to 14.9 °C (±2.8) after 60 min of back-table preparation. Mean implantation time was 24.9 (±7.6) min and kidney temperature increased up to 25.9 °C (±2.4) after 30 min of implantation time. Longer back-table duration was significantly associated with higher rates of delayed graft function (p = 0.037). However, this observation did not sustain at 3 and 6-months post-transplantation. No association was found between kidney temperature and graft outcomes.
Conclusion: Longer back-table duration is significantly associated with DGF after deceased donor kidney transplantation. No association was observed between kidney temperature and graft outcomes of deceased donor kidneys.
Keywords: back-table preparation; delayed graft function; kidney transplantation; organ temperature.