A Single-Center Experience With Third and Fourth Kidney Transplants and Second Kidney Transplant After Pancreas-Kidney Transplant: Surgical Aspects and Outcomes

Overall, 25% to 33% of patients on kidney transplant wait lists present with prior graft loss. In addition, the number of patients who require a retransplant seems to be increasing. Here, we describe our experience with patients who had a second kidney transplant after a previous pancreas-kidney transplant or a third or fourth kidney transplant. We focused specifically on the technical aspects and outcomes related to this patient group.

A single-center retrospective study was performed. The cohortincluded 15 patients > 18 years old who had received a second kidney graft after pancreas-kidney transplant or a second or greater kidney graft between 2013 and 2019.

Median age of recipients was 45 years (range, 20-58 y). In 10 patients, the transperitoneal approach was selected. In 5 patients, the retroperitoneal heterotopic kidney retransplant technique was used. Early surgical complications (≤ 30 days posttransplant) were reported in 4 patients. Three patients had late ureteral stenosis (> 90 days posttransplant). All grafts were functioning at time of patient discharge. Mean creatinine level was 2.69 mg/dL (range, 1.23-6.26 mg/dL). The 1-year and 2-year graft survivalrates were 85% and 75%, respectively. No grafts were lost because of surgical complications.

Retransplant of a second graft after pancreas-kidney transplant or retransplant of a third or fourth renal graft is challenging but feasible, with evidence of reasonably positive outcomes after retransplant.