How to Avoid Injury to the Renal Artery due to Inclusion of Superior Mesenteric Artery Patch during Organ Procurement

Data from UK National Transplant database indicates that 0.8%–1% of the kidneys are discarded due to organ damage with a 7% reported incidence of injuries during recovery of kidneys, of which 4.8% were renal vascular injuries related to procurement [1]. Whilst vascular injuries (arterial and venous) could be dealt with various reconstructions and modified anastomotic techniques [2], these could potentially lead to complications such as stenosis and rarely, thrombosis. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) of the anastomosis may lead to deterioration of graft function, hypertension and graft failure.