Introduction:

Performing a second kidney transplant is the best treatment option to replace the function of this organ for those patients who have lost a first graft. However, it seems a little used therapeutics and there is the opinion that its results are inferior to a first transplant. However, it seems a little used therapy and there is the opinion that its results are inferior to a first transplant.

Objective:

To determine the percentage of use of the second kidney transplants, their survival and identify the influential factors.

Methods:

An analytical, retrospective longitudinal study was done in all renal transplants performed from 1984 to 2015, excluding transplants in recipients under 15 years old, doubles, combined or when all the information could not be obtained. The results of survival in general were compared, and those of each variable of the second transplants were compared with those of the primary ones through Kaplan and Meier curves and multivariate with a Cox regression.

Results:

The use of a second renal transplants was 5.6 %, with global survival similar to the primary ones. The comparative analysis of the curves according to the variables used were found no statistically significant different between the two study groups, although multivariate did emerge as independent risk factors for graft loss, the age of the recipient 55 years, the age of the donor 50 years, the presence of acute tubular necrosis and rejection in primary transplants, while in secondary cases this only occurred when the age of the donor was 50 years and they presented acute tubular necrosis.

Conclusions:

The percentage of a second transplant was low, with similar survival to the primary one, influenced by specific variables of the recipient and the act of transplantation.