Management of surgical gastrointestinal complications in renal transplant recipients

Gastrointestinal (GI) complications developed in 19 (7.2%) of 265 patients after renal transplantation, and 3 (16%) patients died. Complications included colon perforations, colonic bleeding, small-bowel infarction, pancreatitis, subphrenic abscess, and upper GI tract bleeding. Ulcers located in the second portion of the duodenum developed in six patients; four of them required operation for massive hemorrhage, which occurred during or immediately after the administration of high-dose methylprednisolone for rejection. However, the association of methylprednisolone and colon perforation was not clear from this report. Early diagnosis and prompt operation for surgical-type GI complications in transplant recipients contribute to a low mortality.