Outcome of renal transplantation after urinary diversion and enterocystoplasty: a retrospective, controlled study

A total of 17 patients with intestinal urinary diversion of enterocystoplasty underwent renal transplantation between 1970 and 1988. Patient age ranged from 4 to 35 years (mean age 20 years). The patients were divided into 2 groups. In group 1 (10 patients, 2 of whom required retransplantation) the ureter of the transplanted kidney was implanted into an ileal (7) or colonic (1) conduit or enterocystoplasty (2). In group 2 (7 patients, 1 of whom required a second transplant) the diversion was taken down and the transplanted ureter was implanted into the defunctionalized bladder. There were 14 living related and 6 cadaveric kidneys transplanted. Graft survival rates were 58 and 87% in groups 1 and 2, respectively, with an over-all rate of 70% (14 of 20 kidneys). There was no statistical difference in the graft survival rate between the 2 groups. The complications in group 1 included ureteroileal anastomotic leak (3 patients), ureteroileal stenosis (1), calculus formation (1), urosepsis (1), hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis (1), and wound infection and dehiscence (1). There were no complications in group 2. Renal transplantation into a pre-existing urinary intestinal conduit or augmented bladder does not statistically adversely affect patient or graft survival. However, the complication rate is much higher when the ureter is implanted into an intestinal segment. Therefore, it is preferable whenever possible to implant the ureter into the native bladder.