Surgical Complications are Major Problems Concerning Overseas Kidney Transplantation in Comparison Study with Domestic Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation

Kang, Whan Nam; Ju, Man Ki; Chang, Hye Kyung; Ahn, Hyung Jun; Jeun, Kyung Ock; Kim, Hyun Jung; Kim, Myoung Soo; Kim, Soon Il; Kim, Yu Seun

Abstract

PURPOSE: As increasing overseas kidney transplant recipients, the post-transplantation management of these recipients is not unusual. Shortage of donor information and operative findings is an obstacle to post-transplant evaluation and management of overseas transplant recipients. We retrospectively reviewed the post-transplant clinical manifestation of overseas transplant recipient, and compared with those of domestic deceased donor transplant recipient.
METHODS
Sixty overseas transplant recipients and 39 deceased donor transplant recipient in our center from January 2002 to August 2006 were enrolled in this study. Among the post-transplant outcomes, we focused the episodes of post-transplant complication, acute rejection and graft functional status.
RESULTS
In comparison of pre-transplant clinical manifestation, overseas transplant recipients were more elderly, male predominant and less retransplantation than domestic deceased transplant cases. Remarkable surgical complications (35%, 21/60) were observed in overseas transplant recipients which was significantly higher than those of domestic transplant recipients (5.1%, 2/39 cases)(P=0.03). The urologic complication was major (14 cases) complication, and intraoperative hematoma (5 cases) and vascular complication (2 cases) succeed. Interventional procedure or surgical correction was performed in six recipients with urinary leakage obstruction. Excluding post-transplant acute tubular necrosis, the post-transplant outcomes, such as incidence of acute rejection, graft survival rate and graft function within post-transplant 3 year, of overseas transplant recipient were statistically similar with these of domestic deceased donor recipients.
CONCLUSION
Considering that overseas transplant recipient had high incidence of surgical or urologic complication, the initial evaluation of post-transplant recipient was focused on completion of surgical procedure by using radiologic imaging study.