In a retrospective study of 350 consecutive cadaver renal transplants, at least 83 (24%) of the donor kidneys were found to be contaminated. This was associated with three perinephric abscesses, one mycotic aneurysm, one pseudomonas sepsis, and four superficial wound infections. As a result, three patients lost their grafts, and one patient died from septic complications. The one year graft survival of the remainder of the recipients of contaminated grafts did not differ from that of the whole series. It is concluded that contamination of donor kidneys is a frequent event, but serious complications are relatively rare.