The role of interventional radiology in the management of kidney transplant complications

Purpose. To evaluate the role and the effectiveness of interventional radiology in the treatment of renal transplant complications. Materials and methods. From 1996 to 2004 a total of 288 kidney transplants from cadavers were performed in our Institute. The kidney was always collocated in iliac fossa by creating a vascular anastomosis with the external iliac artery and vein; in all cases the ureter was implanted into the recipient bladder. During the follow-up, 34 complications were observed. Twenty-seven complications in 25 patients (20 males and 5 females; age 35-65 years) were treated by a radiologic procedure: 9 renal artery stenosis and 1 native external iliac artery stenosis (by PTA), 5 ureteral obstructions (by nephrostomy and ureteral stenting), 8 ureteral leaks (by nephrostomy, in 2 cases associated to ureteral stenting) and 4 limphoceles (by percutaneous ultrasound-guided catheter drainage). Results. Primary technical success was obtained in 20/27 cases (74%). Success was obtained with a second interventional procedure in 3/27 cases, 2 limphoceles and 1 ureteral fistula (secondary technical success: 85.2%), with a clinical final success in 23/27 cases (85.2%). We observed a peri-procedural complication rate of 3.7% (1 renal artery post-PTA dissection during a restenosis treatment). Four cases (1 renal arterial post-PTA dissection, 1 ureteral obstructions, 1 ureteral leak and llimphocele) needed a surgical correction (14.8%). Conclusions. Interventional radiology is the first therapeutic approach to treat renal transplant complications. It shows good technical and clinical results and a low complication rate. Surgery had to be considered only if minimally invasive procedures are infeasible or ineffective