The practicality of renal autotransplantation in humans

Abstract

THE transplantation of organs from one location to another within the same body, autotransplantation, has been a clinical possibility at least since 1908, the time of Carrel's classical work on vascular anastomoses.¹The kidneys seem particularly attractive for autotransplantation because of their value and because the artery and vein are usually single and of good size. The principal clinical objective is, of course, the preservation of renal function; but autotransplantation has been carried out experimentally in animals for a variety of reasons.^2,3Why renal autotransplantation has been so rarely attempted is not altogether clear, but lack of familiarity with the surgical technique has almost certainly been a major deterrent. One important benefit of experience in renal homotransplantation (between individuals of the same species), and heterotransplantation (between individuals of different species), is a familiarity with and a perfection of the surgical technique permitting autotransplantation (removal and planting in a