Renal Autotransplantation: A Kidney-Saving Procedure

The authors report their recent experience with renal autotransplantation (3 cases). In one case it concerned a complex aneurysm of the renal artery involving secondary arterial renal branches, and associated with hydronephrosis (case 1); another patient presented a high ureteral injury unsuccessfully repaired by previous surgery (case 2), and the third patient had diffuse fibrodysplasia of intrahilar arterial branches (case 3). The procedures were technically successful and gave good functional results. They describe the technique of kidney refrigeration, extracorporeal vessel repair and ureteral preservation or reimplantation. Indications and technical advantages of this organ-saving reconstructive approach are discussed.