Acute renal artery thrombosis after kidney transplantation

Abstract

Early kidney transplant loss as a result of acute thrombosis of the renal artery remains a constant and devastating complication, with an incidence of 0.2-7.5%. While uncommon, arterial obstruction in the early postoperative period is a surgical emergency and must be ruled out if previously established diuresis ceases suddenly. Arterial thrombosis may occur as a result of injury to a diseased artery, problems with anastomoses, hypercoagulability or malpositioning of the allograft. In this study, we analyzed data on a group of 105 renal transplant recipients who presented with acute postoperative graft dysfunction between January 2006 and May 2012, to identify cases of acute renal artery thrombosis. We report on our experience of immediate re-transplantation following early kidney transplant thrombosis. Overall, two (1.9%) patients suffered early (within 48 hours of surgery) allograft renal artery thrombosis. In both patients, transplantation had not been complicated by atherosclerotic lesions or other thrombophilic states and postoperative diuresis had been successfully achieved, but diuresis ceased abruptly during the early postoperative period. Emergent duplex ultrasound scans were performed and acute renal artery thrombosis was detected in both patients. The patients were operated immediately and retransplantation procedures were conducted. We have reported our experience of immediate retransplantation following early primary graft dysfunction due to renal artery thrombosis. In conclusion, close monitoring of postoperative diuresis and, if necessary, immediate retransplantation in this situation can prove to be a successful treatment for preventing graft loss. © 2014, Sociedade Brasileira de Angiologia e Cirurgia Vascular. All rights reserved.