Evaluation of the effect of retrograde venous renal reperfusion in rabbits on ischemic reperfusion injury: an experimental study

Ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in the kidneys is a common complication of renal surgery, and retrograde venous renal reperfusion (RVR) has been proposed as a potential method to reduce IRI. This study explores the impact of RVR on ischemic-reperfusion injury in kidney grafts, a common issue during transplantation. Seven male rabbits were divided into two groups: group A underwent RVR followed by typical antegrade arterial reperfusion, while group B had only antegrade arterial reperfusion without RVR. Post-surgery, histopathological examination revealed no significant differences in epithelial loss, tubular debris, interstitial edema, and brush border loss between the two groups. However, vacuolization, glomerular shrinkage, and apoptotic nuclei were less prominent in the RVR group (P < 0.05). The findings suggest a positive impact of RVR in mitigating ischemic-reperfusion injury compared to the control group. Despite the study’s limitations, such as the small sample size and animal model, the results hint at the potential clinical benefits of retrograde venous reperfusion in reducing kidney injury during transplantation.