Surgical treatment of urologic complications after renal transplantation

Pyelovesicostomy as an Alternative Surgical Treatment for Complex Ureteral Lesions After Kidney Transplant

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the feasibility, safety, and long-term outcomes of pyelovesicostomy as an alternative surgical treatment for complex ureteral lesions after kidney transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted on 5 adult kidney transplant recipients who underwent pyelovesicostomy between January 2000 and June 2023. The collected data included patient demographics, surgery indication, time from transplant to pyelovesicostomy, procedure details, and kidney function at various time points after surgery. Primary outcomes were allograft function and complications.

RESULTS

The 5 patients (4 female, 1 male) had a mean age of 65.8 years and mean body mass index of 26.8. Indications were complex ureteral lesions. The time between transplant and reoperation ranged from 4 days to 12 years. Renal function improved for all patients, with a progressive decrease in mean serum creatinine concentration. The mean follow-up period extended to 7 years. One patient died with the graft still functional at 20 years after the operation, whereas the remaining 4 patients continue to live with functional grafts.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that pyelovesicostomy may provide a potent alternative for the management of complex ureteral lesions after kidney transplant. We have observed good short-term and long-term outcomes in specific patients, pointing toward a promising avenue oftreatment worth further exploration. This reaffirms the importance of a personalized approach in medicine, to consider each patient's unique conditions and characteristics during therapeutic decisions.

Does early removal of double J stents reduce urinary infection in living donor renal transplantation?

INTRODUCTION

Prophylactic use of double J (DJ) stents in recipients is highly accepted in renal transplantation. In this study, the association between the frequency of urologic complications (UC) and urinary tract infections (UTI), and the early or late removal of DJ stents was investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 116 live-donor renal transplant patients were included in the study during a 4-year period, with a mean follow-up of 29.2 ±15.3 months. In all, DJ stents were used. All patients were clinically monitored for graft function by assessment of the complete blood count, renal biochemistry, urine analysis and blood drug level according to our follow-up protocol.

RESULTS

The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the time of their stent removal: group I (n = 44), removal within the first 14 days; and group II (n = 72), removal after 14 days. No urinary leaks were detected in either of the groups. Three patients suffered from anastomotic stricture (group I, n = 1; group II, n = 2). The rates of UTI were similar in groups I and II (13.6% vs. 16.6%, respectively, p = 0.79). The rate of UTI in women was found to be 3.8 times higher than in men.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study demonstrated that DJ stent removal within 14 days did not reduce the risk of UTI when compared to stent removal after 14 days. Similar effects on complication rates for ureteral stenting for these 2 removal periods were observed.

Early urological complications after kidney transplantation: An overview

Urological complications, especially urine leaks, remain the most common type of surgical complication in the early post-transplant period. Despite major advances in the field of transplantation, a small minority of kidney transplants are still being lost due to urological problems. Many of these complications can be traced back to the time of retrieval and implantation. Serial ultrasound examination of the transplanted graft in the early post-operative period is of key importance for early detection. The prognosis is generally excellent if recognized and managed in a timely fashion. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the different presentations, compare various ureterovesical anastomosis techniques and provide a basic overview for the management of post-transplant urological complications.

Optimal Timing for Removal of the Double-J Stent After Kidney Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Urologic complications (UC) have gradually decreased in recent years after advanced surgical experience. The incidence of urologic complications varies between 0.22% and 30% in different medical studies. There is no routine usage of double-J stenting (DJS) during renal transplantation (RT) in the literature. It is a necessity, and optimal timing for stent removal is an important question for many transplantation centers.

METHODS

This study includes 818 renal transplant patients whose ureteroneocystostomy anastomoses were completed by use of the Lich-Gregorie procedure during a 2-year period at a transplantation center. We performed 926 renal transplantations at Antalya Medical Park Hospital Renal Transplantation Center between January 2014 and January 2016. The patients were divided into four groups according to the timing of DJS removal.

RESULTS

For group 1, removal time for DJS was between 5 and 7 days; group 2, Removal time for DJS was between 8 and 14 days; group 3, removal time for DJS was between 15 and 21 days; and group 4, removal time for DJS was later than 22 days. The patients were divided into two groups according to removal time of stent as 5 to 14 days and >15 days. DJS was performed again in the patients whose urine output was reduced during the first 5 days after removal of the DJS, whose creatine level increased, and whose graft ureter and collecting tubules were extended as an ultrasonographic finding.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no declared optimal time for the removal of DJS. The removal time was reported between postoperative first week and 3 months in some of the reports of RT centers, according to their protocols. We emphasize that the optimal time for the removal of DJS is 14 to 21 days after RT, based on the findings of our large case report study.

Optimal management of distal ureteric strictures following renal transplantation: a systematic review

Our objective was to define optimal management of distal ureteric strictures following renal transplantation. A systematic review on PubMed identified 34 articles (385 patients). Primary endpoints were success rates and complications of specific primary and secondary treatments (following failure of primary treatment). Among primary treatments (n = 303), the open approach had 85.4% success (95% CI 72.5-93.1) and the endourological approach had 64.3% success (95% CI 58.3-69.9). Among secondary treatments (n = 82), the open approach had 93.1% success (95% CI 77.0-99.2) and the endourological approach had 75.5% success (95% CI 62.3-85.2). The most common primary open treatment was ureteric reimplantation (n = 33, 81.8% success, 95% CI 65.2-91.8). The most common primary endourological treatment was dilation (n = 133, 58.6% success, 95% CI 50.1-66.7). Fourteen complications, including death (4 weeks post-op) and graft loss (12 days post-op), followed endourological treatment. One complication followed open treatment. This is the first systematic review to examine the success rates and complications of specific treatments for distal ureteric strictures following renal transplantation. Our review indicates that open management has higher success rates and fewer complications than endourological management as a primary and secondary treatment for post-transplant distal ureteric strictures. We also outline a post-transplant ureteric stricture evaluation and treatment algorithm.

Comparative study of one-stitch versus Lich-Gregoir ureterovesical implantation for kidney transplants

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes of standard Lich-Gregoir technique and a modified one-stitch technique of ureteroneocystostomy in renal transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from 645 transplant recipients by two different ureteroneocystostomy techniques were retrospectively reviewed at the first Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, between January 2002 and December 2007.

RESULTS

There were 418 recipients in the Lich-Gregoir group and 227 in new one-stitch group. The overall ureteral complication rate for new one-stitch technique was 19.8 % (n = 45) as opposed to 15.79 % (n = 66) for the Lich-Gregoir technique. No significantly different rate of ureteral complications occurred in two groups (P > 0.05). In comparison, there was a higher proportion of hematuria at the limit of statistical significance in new one-stitch group (P < 0.05). Average operative time for the modified one-stitch and Lich-Gregoir techniques was 8.8 ± 1.4 and 21.9 ± 6.1 min, respectively (P < 0.05). Urinary tract infections, delayed graft function and rejection rates were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Although the modified one-stitch technique may predispose patients to higher rates of hematuria, it has no significant difference in ureteral complications compared with the Lich-Gregoir group. Based on this large series and data analyses, we believe that this new technique will become one of our multiple choices in our setting.

Stented ureterovesical anastomosis in renal transplantation: does it influence the rate of urinary tract infections?

Objective

Our objective was to evaluate the impact of routine use of double-J stents on the incidence of urinary tract infection after renal transplantation.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective-comparative single-centre study in 310 consecutive adult deceased donor kidney recipients transplanted from 2002 to 2006. Patients were divided in two groups, with or without urinary stent implantation. To evaluate the predictive factors for UTI, donor and recipients pre- and post-transplantation data were analysed. Early urological complications and renal function within 12 months of transplantation were included as well.

Results

A total of 157 patients were enrolled to a stent (ST) and 153 patients to a no-stent (NST) group. The rate of urinary tract infection at three months was similar between the two groups (43.3% ST vs. 40.1% NST, p = 0.65). Of the identified pathogens Enterococcus and Escherichia coli were the most common species. In multivariate analysis neither age nor immunosuppressive agents, BMI or diabetes seemed to have influence on the rate of UTI. When compared to males, females had a significantly higher risk for UTI (54.0% vs. 33.5%).

Conclusion

Prophylactic stenting of the ureterovesical anastomosis does not increase the risk of urinary tract infection in the early postoperative period.

Bladder rupture in immediate postrenal transplant period of uncertain cause

Bladder rupture in patients undergoing renal transplant is rare. A 26-year-old man underwent a deceased-donor renal transplant. Postoperatively, he showed a good clinical course, but after removal of the urethral catheter, he complained of pain in the lower aspect of the abdomen and in the left flank. Findings of abdominal computed tomography and retrograde cystography revealed an extraperitoneal bladder rupture. We did not identify specific causes for this condition and believe that the bladder rupture was spontaneous. However, we could not rule out the possibility of traumatic rupture by the double-J ureteral stent. We decided to manage this case conservatively, with an indwelling urethral catheter and antibiotics, instead of by surgical repair. Results of repeated serial cystography during the treatment showed decreased contrast extravasation, and cystographic findings at 6 weeks showed no leakage of contrast medium. We confirmed complete healing of the ruptured bladder and removed the urethral catheter. Since then, the patient has maintained good renal function without any complications.