Despite many efforts to increase the size of the donor pool, there is a large and growing disparity between the number of donor kidneys available for transplantation and the number of patients on the transplant waiting list. Increasing the quality of currently available donor kidneys would potentially improve the longevity of deceased donor kidney transplants by years, thus increasing the rate of transplantation patients on the kidney transplant waiting list. In addition, recipients of higher quality kidneys have shorter hospital stays and lower total hospital charges. By innovating the organ donation process, such that deceased donor kidneys are removed prior to the cessation of cardiac activity, rather than after, it may be possible to improve the quality of the kidney before transplantation, resulting in improved function after transplantation and increased longevity of these transplanted kidneys. Further, this improved kidney quality is highly likely to translate to reduced need for renal dialysis and other high-cost interventions, yielding lower total hospital charges. In this study we will test the hypothesis that, through a cost-free technical innovation, the quality of deceased donor kidneys could be improved significantly, saving thousands more lives per year and reducing total health care expenditures on renal transplantation.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Currently listed to receive a deceased donor kidney transplant
2. Able to fully understand the informed consent document
3. Recipient over the age of 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Recipients undergoing a bilateral native nephrectomy at time of transplant
2. Recipients undergoing dual (liver-kidney, kidney-pancreas, pediatric en bloc) transplant
3. Individuals who are unable to understand the informed consent document
4. Recipient under age 18 years
5. Recipients receiving desensitization protocols for high levels of donor specific antibodies