Objective: To establish rabbit model of renal allograft transplantation with reduced complications and high survival rate using microsurgical technique.
Methods: Twelve healthy adult rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups of equal number, one as donor group and the other recipient. The left kidneys of the donor rabbits were removed followed by immediate reperfusion with 4 degrees celsius H-CA solution, before they were transplanted into the recipient rabbits with their left kidneys excised and end-to-end anastomosis of the renal arteries, veins and ureter respectively performed with microsurgical technique. Another 12 normal rabbits received operations to temporarily block the right renal arteries and veins, serving as control group, in which 11 completed the experiment.
Results: No thrombosis or stricture occurred at the site of anastomosis in rabbits with renal allograft transplantation, and the survival rate reached 91.7% (11/12).
Conclusion: This rabbit model of renal allograft transplantation has markedly fewer complications with improved survival rate, thus providing a more practical and reliable model for experimental and clinical studies of renal transplantation.