Unusual transplant renal angioplasty complication: case report

We report an avulsion of a transplant upper pole renal artery following apparently successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of a stenosis involving main, upper, and lower pole renal arteries. We believe that the use of a high pressure balloon was the causative factor. If the branches at the bifurcation cannot be protected and if the stenoses fail to resolve under moderate balloon insufflation pressures (less than 5-6 atmospheres), consideration should be given to surgical revascularization.