Renal transplantation in children with augmentation cystoplasty: long-term results

We assessed the long-term results of renal transplantation in children with augmentation cystoplasty.

We retrospectively reviewed the complications and followup in 14 pediatric renal transplant recipients with augmentation cystoplasty. The etiology of bladder dysfunction included posterior urethral valves in 10 cases, neurogenic bladder in 3 and vesicoureteral reflux in 1. All transplants were cadaver donor kidneys. Mean patient age at transplantation was 12.1 years (range 5 to 18). Augmentation cystoplasty was performed before and after transplantation in 10 and 4 cases, respectively. Detubularized ileum was used in 5 cases, tubular ileum in 4, tubular sigmoid in 4 and stomach in 1.

Of the 14 transplanted kidneys 10 (71%) were functioning at a mean followup of 80 months (range 12 to 151). Serum creatinine was less than 1.4 mg./dl. in 9 patients. Four grafts were lost to chronic rejection. The 5 and 10-year graft survival rates were 84 and 73%, respectively. Two patients with a functioning kidney died of causes unrelated to augmentation cystoplasty. Complications included symptomatic urinary infections in 4 patients, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in 2, nephrolithiasis in the allograft in 2 and the hematuria-dysuria syndrome in 1. All patients were continent.

Augmentation cystoplasty is a safe and effective method of restoring lower urinary tract function in the pediatric renal transplant population with a small noncompliant bladder.