Aorta and Peripheral Arterial Diseases in Renal Transplant Patients

Kim, Sang Dong; Hwang, Jeong Kye; Park, Sun Cheol; Kim, Ji Il; Won, Yong Sung; Moon, In Sung; Koh, Yong Bok

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the era of surgical advancement of transplantation, renal transplant patients with risks of atherosclerosis have improved its survival rate. And these renal transplant patients with aortic or peripheral arterial diseases required surgical treatment. Herein, we discussed the prevalence and treatment options for the atherosclerotic disease in renal transplant patients.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 1,163 patients who underwent renal transplant surgery from Jan. 1990 to May. 2007. Among them, we found 10 patients with atherosclerotic disease of aorta and peripheral arteries. Four patients had abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), five patients had atherosclerosis obliterans in the lower extremities, and one had renal artery stenosis in transplanted kidney.
RESULTS
Four patients with AAA had aorto-biiliac bypass surgery with bifurcated grafts. Two of them had transplanted kidney protection during surgery, the others did not. Five patients with atherosclerosis obliterans in lower extremities had arterial bypass surgery. One patient with renal artery stenosis had patch angioplasty with great saphenous vein graft.
CONCLUSIONS
Renal transplant patients also have possibilities to have severe atherosclerotic disease. Furthermore, transplanted kidney could be damaged during operation. Therefore, we have to do our best to prevent development and aggravation of atherosclerotic condition and try to minimize the ischemic injury of transplanted kidney during vascular operation in renal transplant patients.