Clinical Impact of Surgical Complications in Kidney Transplant Recipients in a Reference Hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence of incisional hernia in urological surgery

PURPOSE

To evaluate the incidence of incisional hernia in patients undergoing direct access to the abdominal cavity in urological surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review in Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Central from 1980 to the present according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Eighty-four studies were selected for inclusion in this analysis, and meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed.

RESULTS

The total incidence in the 84 studies was 4.8% (95% CI 3.7% - 6.2%) I2 93.84%. Depending on the type of incision, it was higher in the open medial approach: 7.1% (95% CI 4.3%-11.8%) I2 92.45% and lower in laparoscopic surgery: 1.9% (95% CI 1%-3.4%) I2 71, 85% According to access, it was lower in retroperitoneal: 0.9% (95% CI 0.2%-4.8%) I2 76.96% and off-midline: 4.7% (95% CI 3.5%-6.4%) I2 91.59%. Regarding the location of the hernia, parastomal hernias were more frequent: 15.1% (95% CI 9.6% - 23%) I2 77.39%. Meta-regression shows a significant effect in reducing the proportion of hernias in open lateral, laparoscopic and hand-assisted compared to medial open access.

CONCLUSION

The present review finds the access through the midline and stomas as the ones with the highest incidence of incisional hernia. The use of the lateral approach or minimally invasive techniques is preferable. More prospective studies are warranted to obtain the real incidence of incisional hernias and evaluate the role of better techniques to close the abdomen.

Impact of early surgical complications on kidney transplant outcomes

BACKGROUND

Kidney transplantation (KT) improves clinical outcomes of patients with end stage renal disease. Little has been reported on the impact of early post-operative surgical complications (SC) on long-term clinical outcomes following KT. We sought to determine the impact of vascular complications, urological complications, surgical site complications, and peri-graft collections within 30 days of transplantation on patient survival, graft function, and hospital readmissions.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre, observational cohort study examining adult patients (≥ 18 years) who received a kidney transplant from living and deceased donors between January 1st, 2005 and December 31st, 2015 with follow-up until December 31st, 2016 (n = 1,334). Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards models to analyze the outcomes of SC in the early post-operative period after KT.

RESULTS

The cumulative probability of SC within 30 days of transplant was 25%, the most common SC being peri-graft collections (66.8%). Multivariable analyses showed significant relationships between Clavien Grade 1 SC and death with graft function (HR 1.78 [95% CI: 1.11, 2.86]), and between Clavien Grades 3 to 4 and hospital readmissions (HR 1.95 [95% CI: 1.37, 2.77]).

CONCLUSIONS

Early SC following KT are common and have a significant influence on long-term patient outcomes.

Incisional hernias post renal transplant: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Incisional hernia (IH) post renal transplant (RT) is relatively uncommon and can be challenging to manage clinically due to the presence of the kidney graft and patient immunosuppression. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesises the current literature in relation to IH rates, risk factors and outcomes post RT.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched up to July 2023. The most up to date Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines were followed. Pertinent clinical information was synthesised. A meta-analysis of the pooled proportions of IH rates, the rates of patients requiring surgical repair and the rates of recurrence post RT are reported.

RESULTS

Twenty studies comprising 16,018 patients were included in this analysis. The pooled rate of IH occurrence post RT was 4% (CI 3-5%). The pooled rate of IH repair post RT was 61% (CI 14-100%). The pooled rate of IH recurrence after repair was 16% (CI 9-23%). Risk factors identified for IH development post RT are BMI, immunosuppression, age, smoking, incision type, reoperation, concurrent abdominal wall hernia, lymphocele formation and pulmonary disease.

CONCLUSIONS

IH post RT is uncommon and the majority of IH post RT are repaired surgically on an elective basis.

Short-term outcomes of second kidney transplantation compared with those of first transplantation in Japanese patients: a single-center, retrospective, observational study

BACKGROUND

Among patients who undergo kidney transplantation, a subsequent second kidney transplantation (TX2) is often necessary. The TX2 outcomes remain controversial, however, and only limited data are available on clinical outcomes of TX2 in Japanese patients. This study aimed to assess graft and patient survival rates of TX2 and compared these rates with those of first kidney transplantation (TX1) in Japanese patients.

METHODS

Of the 898 kidney transplantations performed between 2010 and 2019 at our institution, 33 were TX2. We performed survival analysis using weighted Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis with propensity score matching, specifically inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

RESULTS

Death-censored graft survival (DCGS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years for the TX1 versus TX2 groups were 99.3, 97.9, and 95.0% versus 100, 96.0, and 91.2%, respectively. Overall survival (OS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years for the TX1 versus TX2 groups were 99.4, 98.9, and 97.8% versus 100, 100, and 94.4%, respectively. Using the log-rank test, IPTW-weighted Kaplan-Meier curves showed no significant differences for TX1 versus TX2 in DCGS (p = 0.535) and OS (p = 0.302). On Cox proportional hazards analysis for TX2 versus TX1, the IPTW-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for DCGS was 1.75 (95% CI, 0.28-10.9; p = 0.550) and for OS was 2.71 (95% CI, 0.40-18.55; p = 0.311).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients who require TX2, this treatment is an acceptable option based on the short-term outcomes data for DCGS and OS.

Risk Factors for Urologic Complications After Kidney Transplantation and Impact in Graft Survival

Background and Purpose

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the best therapy for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Major urologic complications (MUCs) are the second etiology associated to morbidity and graft loss following KT, after rejection episodes. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence, risk factors and impact on graft survival associated to urological complications in KT patients.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective cohort based on electronic patient files of kidney transplant recipients from Colombiana de Trasplantes was created for the period August 2008 to September 2019. Initiation of follow-up was defined as the date of transplantation up to 3 years post-transplantation. Incidence of ureteral stenosis, ureteral obstruction, and ureteral leak was measured. A logistic regression multivariate model was adjusted to determine the associated factors to MUCs (yes/no). Patient and graft survival time were analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier method.

Results

A total of 1584 KT patients were included in the cohort. MUCs were present in 195 (12.6%) KT patients. We found that dialysis duration (OR: 1.004; p = 0.02) remained significant for the incidence of MUCs in KT patients of deceased donors. Probability of graft and patient survival at 3 years of follow-up was 90.5% and 85.5%, respectively. No significant difference was found on graft and patient survival in KT patients with or without MUCs.

Conclusion

MUCs are frequent complications for KT. We did not observe significant differences in graft or patient survival according to the presence of MUCs. The identification of MUCs and risk factors may guide transplant teams for future surgical and clinical decisions.

Frailty predicts surgical complications after kidney transplantation. A propensity score matched study

Background and objective

Surgical complications after kidney transplantation can lead to catastrophic outcomes. Frailty has been associated with important kidney transplantation outcomes; however, there are no studies assessing this measure of physiological reserve as a specific predictor of surgical complications in this population. Such an assessment was, therefore, the objective of the present study.

Methods

A total of 87 individuals aged ≥ 18 years who underwent kidney transplantation between March 2017 and March 2018 were included. At the time of admission for kidney transplantation, demographic, clinical, and kidney transplantation data were collected, and the frailty score was calculated according to Fried et al., which comprises five components: shrinking, weakness, exhaustion, low activity, and slowed walking speed. Urological, vascular, and general surgical complications were assessed three months later, or until graft loss or death. The propensity score was used to achieve a better homogeneity of the sample, and new analyses were performed in this new, balanced sample.

Results

Of the 87 individuals included, 30 (34.5%) had surgical complications. After propensity score matching, the risk of surgical complications was significantly higher among the frail individuals (RR 2.14; 95% CI 1.01–4.54; p = 0.035); specifically, the risk of noninfectious surgical complications was significantly higher among these individuals (RR 2.50; 95% CI 1.11–5.62; p = 0.017).

Conclusion

The results showed that individuals with some degree of frailty before kidney transplantation were more subject to surgical complications. The calculation of the frailty score for transplant candidates and the implementations of measures to increase the physiological reserve of these patients at the time of kidney transplantation may possibly reduce the occurrence of surgical complications.