VENOUS THROMBECTOMY IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ILIOFEMORAL VEIN-THROMBOSIS AFTER RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

In this study 14 patients presented with 15 episodes of iliofemoral ve in thrombosis after renal transplantation. Seven patients (group 1) ha d viable renal grafts and were treated with conventional anticoagulati on. Eight patients (group 2) had non-viable renal grafts and were subj ected to graft nephrectomy and simultaneous venous thrombectomy withou t anticoagulation. The patients in group 2 had rapid resolution of the signs and symptoms of the iliofemoral vein thrombosis, and noninvasiv e vascular investigation at follow-up revealed competent and patent de ep veins in all patients. In contrast, only 50 % of the patients in gr oup 1 had normal venous studies at follow-up. We recommend that renal transplant recipients who develop iliofemoral vein thrombosis and nonv iable allograft postoperatively should be subjected to venous thrombec tomy at the time of graft nephrectomy.