EARLY VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

Early vascular complications were studied in 1300 consecutive renal tr ansplantations performed in 1065 patients in a single institution. Vas cular complications requiring surgical reintervention in the first 10 postoperative days occurred in 68 patients (5.2%). There were 33 insta nces of graft vessel thrombosis, 6 anastomotic and 30 extra-anastomoti c hemorrhages. The overall mortality as a result of these complication s was 0.08%. Transplant nephrectomies were performed in 45/68 cases (6 6%), accounting for 3.5% graft loss of the complete series. Multiple r enal arteries and veins, their reconstruction and multiple arterial or venous anastomoses were not associated with an increased chance of gr aft loss. The absence of an aortic patch, renal artery and vein lesion s and extra-vascular graft anomalies did not exert a negative influenc e on the graft outcome. Intraoperative events leading to complete or p artial revision of the venous anastomosis or repair of a troublesome v enous hemorrhage proved to be associated with the occurrence of vascul ar complications requiring surgical reintervention. Vascular complicat ions ensued most frequently when size discrepancy of graft and recipie nt was present.