Kidney transplantation in the rat: A modified technique using hydrodissection

Here, hydrodissection was compared with the conventional blunt instrumental dissection approach in a rat model of orthotopic kidney transplantation. Forty male Fisher and Lewis rats were used as kidney donors and recipients, respectively. After recipient nephrectomy, left kidney grafts were implanted orthotopically using standard microsurgical techniques. Two different methods of dissection of the graft and recipient vessels were used. In method A, the dissection was performed using blunt dissection with cotton‐tipped sticks and jeweler's forceps ( n = 20), and in method B, dissection was performed using water dissection technique ( n = 20). Hydrodissection displayed the correct plane of dissection, reduced the operating time, and reduced the overall complication ( P < 0.001) and vasospasm ( P < 0.05) rates. This is the first report of the use of hydrodissection in experimental transplantation. This atraumatic dissection technique does not require any special instruments, is fast, safe, demands less surgical skills, and may be useful in other transplantation models. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2006.