The impact of oxygen supply and erythrocytes during normothermic kidney perfusion

Abstract The influence of erythrocytes and oxygen concentration on kidneys during long-term normothermic kidney perfusion is under debate. This study compares acellular and erythrocyte-based NMP with focus on oxygen delivery to the tissue as well as the effects of high oxygenation on tissue integrity. Pig kidneys were connected to NMP for six hours. The first group (n = 6; AC500) was perfused without addition of oxygen carriers, arterial perfusate pO2 was maintained at 500 mmHg. In the second group (n = 6; RBC500) washed erythrocytes were added to the perfusate at pO2 of 500 mmHg. Third group (n = 6; RBC200) was perfused with erythrocyte containing perfusate at more physiological pO2 of 200 mmHg. Addition of RBC did not relevantly increase oxygen consumption of the kidneys during perfusion. Likewise, there were no differences in kidney functional and injury parameters between AC500 and RBC500 group. Expression of erythropoietin as indicator of tissue hypoxia was comparable in all three groups. Cell free NMP at supraphysiological oxygen partial pressure seems to be a safe alternative to erythrocyte based perfusion without adverse effect on kidney integrity and provides a less cumbersome application of NMP in clinical practice.