Objective To observe the impact of donor-specific blood transfusion on the recovery during perioperative period in living related kidney transplantation. Methods Fifty-two patients underwent living related renal transplantation during 2005-2007

of whom 28 patients received donor-specific blood transfusion (DST) and 24 patients received random transfusion as controls. The whole blood of 200-400 ml was harvested from the donor 3 days before the operation and infused into the recipient assigned to DST during the operation

while the controls were transfused with nonspecific donor blood. Serum creatinine

acute rejection rate

delayed graft function rate were compared. Results No significant difference existed in donor kidney glomerular filtration rate

HLA matching

age of donors or recipients. DST patients consumed the whole blood of (334±56.4) ml and concentrated red blood cells of (238±105) ml

while the control patients only used the concentrated red blood cells of (698±243) ml. Serum creatinine showed no significant difference a week after operation in the DST patients and control patients. The incidence of acute rejection and delayed graft function in DST patients was lower than that in control patients (1/28 vs 4/24). Conclusion Donor-specific blood transfusion consumes less banked blood in renal transplantation and decreases the incidence of acute rejection and delayed graft function.