Ten Years of Experience with Vascular Complications in Renal Transplantation

Abstract

From 1970-1980, 341 consecutive renal transplants were performed in 307 patients. Operative technique was uniform and performed by a single surgeon. Acute arterial thrombosis occurred in 12 kidneys (3.5%) and venous thrombosis occurred in 3 (0.9%). All of these kidneys were lost. Renal artery stenosis, diagnosed in 17 kidneys (4.9%), resulted from surgical technique or rejection and was associated with hypertension in all cases. Of these kidneys 5 responded to drug therapy alone, 4 to transluminal angioplasty and 5-surgical reconstruction. Three grafts were lost. Vascular complications occurred in 9% of the patients. Apparently, factors other than surgical technique alone can contribute to the incidence of vascular complications.