Ureteric complications of renal transplantation

Of 507 consecutive recipients of renal allografts, 45 developed a urological complication. In 39 patients (7.7%) ureteric problems were implicated and these comprised 30 cases of obstruction and 9 cases of ureteric necrosis presenting as urinary leakage. In 7 patients ureteric obstruction resolved following a period of nephrostomy decompression; 10 patients were reconstructed surgically and this was successful in 8, with 2 patients requiring further surgical procedures. Ten patients were successfully treated by percutaneous stenting after dilatation of the stricture. Stenting failed in 4 patients and in 1 patient caused rupture of a calix. All 10 stents have now been removed and there is no recurrence of stricture (follow-up 32.0 +/- 8.6 months). Of the remaining 3 grafts, 2 were removed and the other graft had percutaneous removal of a ureteric calculus. The 1-year survival rate of allografts in the ureteric complication group was 84.6%; in the recipients without a urological complication it was 81%. It was concluded that an active approach to ureteric problems following renal transplantation results in the rescue of the majority of allografts.