Influence of Double-J Catheters on Urinary Infections After Kidney Transplantation

One of the most important problem in kidney transplantation is risk of the urinary anastomosis stricture. In uncertain cases the use of a double-J (or JJ) catheter is a standard solution. In case of urinary leak or fistula after the reanastomosis operation, transuretheral JJ implantation is used. A number of patients after JJ use present urinary infection.

Between 2012 and 2014, 283 kidney transplantations were performed in our center. In 77 cases (27.2%), a JJ was used at the time of operation, in 10 other cases (3.5%) during postoperative period.

Urinary infection was observed in 95 patients (33.6%), with Proteus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Morganella, and Staphylococcus cultures. In the group of patients without JJ catheters, infections were found in 27.6% of cases and in group with JJ, in 47.1% (46.8% in intraoperative use of catheters and 50% in postoperative curse).

The analysis shows that use of JJ catheters gives urinary infections almost twice more frequent (47.1% vs 27.6%; P = .001) with no difference if the implantation took place during or after the operation.