Objective  To explore the protective effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on donor kidneys from non-controllable donation after cardiac death (DCD).

  Methods  A total of 60 non-controllable DCD donors were selected and divided into 3 groups randomly based on the in vivo perfusion time of ECMO: test group 1 received EMCO perfusion for 2 h, test group 2 for 4 h and test group 3 for 6 h, with 20 cases in each group. Corresponding recipients were also divided into 3 groups, with 20 cases in each group. Meanwhile, 20 recipients from donation after brain death (DBD) with stable circulatory function were randomly selected as control group. Incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), primary graft nonfunction (PNF) and acute rejection of the recipients in different groups was compared. The indexes including graft function recovery time, urine volume on day 1 and graft function within 1 year after renal transplantation were compared for the recipients in different groups. And 1-year survival rate of the recipients and grafts after renal transplantation was compared.

  Results  Compared with the control group, various test groups presented no significant differences in the incidence of PNF, DGF and acute rejection (all P>0.05). Compared with the control group, graft function recovery time prolonged significantly in each test group, which presented statistically significant differences (all P < 0.05), while the urine volume on day 1 and graft function within 1 year after renal transplantation presented no statistically significant difference in each test group (all P>0.05). The 1-year survival rate of the recipients and grafts after renal transplantation was 100% in various test groups and control group, which presented no statistically significant difference (all P>0.05).

  Conclusions  ECMO can protect donor kidneys effectively through assisting the circulatory or respiratory function of non-controllable DCD, and improve their utilization rate.