The Functional Significance of Arteriovenous Anastomoses in the Canine Renal Allograft

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Abstract
Nine unmodified canine renal allografts were examined immediately before and after transplantation and on removal 4-7 days later. The renal blood flow, extraction of PAD [para-amino hippurate] and radiovitamin B12, glomeru-lar filtration rate, filtration fraction and the morphologic alterations were recorded. By way of comparison 5 autografts were examined in the same way. The renal blood flow decreased to the same extent in the allo- and autografts, and in both groups the extraction of PAH and radiovitamin B12 were reduced just after the operation. On removal of the kidneys the extraction values had dropped further for the allografts whereas for the autografts they had recovered normal levels. The glomerular filtration rate and filtration fraction also decreased by a large margin in the allografts, but not significantly in the autografts. In absence of diffuse glomerular damage a reduction in extraction of radiovitamin B12, and filtration fraction indicates shunting of blood past glomerular tissue, presumably via the pathologic arteriovenous communications which have been shown to develop during the graft reaction.