[Radiologic therapy of symptomatic lymphoceles following kidney transplantation]

During a four and a half year period ending in November 1988, we performed 13 percutaneous needle aspirations and 35 percutaneous drainages on 32 patients suffering from symptomatic lymphoceles (LC) following renal transplantation. Of 13 needle aspirations, 4 were therapeutic (31%); in 9 cases recurrent lymphoceles were observed within 3 days. 35 percutaneous catheter drainages were carried out on 29 patients. 16 of these (55%) did not require any additional therapy. In 8 cases recurrent lymphoceles were treated surgically by marsupialization, another 5 underwent repeated percutaneous drainage. One patient needed 3 percutaneous interventions until his symptoms ceased. In 8 patients 5 ml. of fibrinous glue was administered before the catheter was removed; nevertheless, 3 of them developed recurrent LC. In the group of patients without any symptoms after percutaneous drainage, 5 LC were infected, in the group of repeatedly drained LC, 2 had superinfection which was treated with antibiotics. All of the infected LC could be managed successfully by percutaneous drainage. The overall rate of success was 72%.