Oxypurine excretion during kidney preservation: an indicator of ischaemic damage.

The loss of 5'-adenine nucleotides in ischaemic kidney tissue is related to the postischaemic survival of the organ. It has previously been demonstrated that the catabolism of 5'-adenine nucleotides in ischaemic tissue can be evaluated indirectly by the washout of the final products: hypoxanthine, xanthine, and inosine. The present study indicates a relationship between postischaemic renal function and the duration of normothermic ischaemia. It further demonstrates a linear correlation between the duration of normothermic ischaemia and the quantity of hypoxanthine/xanthine recovered from the perfusate. Thus the method may be used for the evaluation of possible renal grafts.