Abstract
Objective—To evaluate the effect of renal autograft ischemia and reperfusion associated with renal transplantation on pulse rate and pressure and arterial blood pressure variables in clinically normal cats.
Animals—10 cats.
Procedures—A radiotelemetric implant was placed in each cat to measure hemodynamic variables; baseline data were recorded before surgery. Standard heterotopic renal implantation and contralateral nephrectomy were performed (day 0). Autografts were stored in cold sucrose phosphate solution for 30 minutes (n = 5) or 3 hours (5); cats were anephric during this period. Hemodynamic variables were recorded every 5 minutes for up to 16 days after surgery; mean daily values were calculated.
Results—Data from 6 cats were available for analysis. Two cats developed ureteral obstructions and became azotemic at 111 and 197 hours after kidney reperfusion. Mean serum creatinine and BUN concentrations were greater than baseline values on days 1 and 2. Although changes from baseline hemodynamic values were detected in some cats, arterial blood pressure measurements did not change significantly from baseline at any time point. Compared with baseline data, mean pulse rate was increased on days 1 and 2 and days 6 through 12; mean pulse pressure was increased on days 1 and 2.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—In clinically normal cats, hypertension was not induced by clinically relevant periods of ischemia-reperfusion injury of renal autografts and was not an inherent consequence of the transplantation process. Causes of marked posttransplantation hypertension in cats with chronic kidney disease require further investigation.
