Pediatric en bloc kidney transplantation from very small (≤10 kg) donation after circulatory death (versus brain death) donors: Single-center matched-pair analysis of 130 transplants

Abstract

En bloc kidney transplants (EBK) from very small pediatric donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors are infrequent because of the perception that DCD adversely impacts outcomes. We retrospectively studied 130 EBKs from donors ≤10 kg (65 consecutive DCD vs 65 donation after brain death [DBD] transplants; pair-matched for donor weight and terminal creatinine, and for preservation time). For DCD vs DBD, median donor weight was 5.0 vs 5.0 kg; median recipient age was 57 vs 48 years (P =.006). Graft losses from thrombosis (DCD, 5%; DBD, 7%) or primary nonfunction (DCD, 3%; DBD, 0%) were similar in both groups (P =.7). Delayed graft function rate was higher for DCD (25%) vs DBD (14%) (P =.2). Graft survival (death-censored) for DCD vs DBD at 5 years was 87% vs 91% (P =.3). Median estimated GFR (mL/min per 1.73 m2) was significantly lower for DCD recipients at 1 and 3 months; at 6 years it remained stable at 100 (DCD) and 99 (DBD). DCD impacted early posttransplant graft function, but did not appear to impart added risk for graft loss and long-term function. Very small (≤10 kg) DCD EBK donors should be considered as an option to augment the deceased kidney donor pool; larger studies with longer follow-up must confirm these findings.