Background/aims: Nowadays, owing to a greater number of patients waiting for a kidney donation and to a shortage of organs donated, more suitable organ acceptance criteria have been formulated. Horseshoe kidney transplantations have become feasible giving good allograft outcomes. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the split technique in horseshoe kidney transplantation and to report long-term results.
Methods: During the period from February 2004 to February 2005, two horseshoe kidneys were harvested from multiple organ retrieval. The surgical features and outcomes of these 2 cases are described separately. Mean follow-up time was 12.3 months.
Conclusions: Organs that were previously said to be marginal are being used more regularly and the more suitable selection does not exclude elderly donors with or without underlying diseases. Horseshoe kidney transplantation requires greater skills and experience of the surgeons compared to conventional kidney transplantation. This kind of renal abnormality has to be considered a feasible option for transplantation. Good long-term results are reported.