Surgical Complications of Renal Transplantation; Single Centre Single Surgeon

Abstract

Background: The incidence of end stage renal disease has been increasing steadily over years. The change in life style, the epidemic proportion of diabetes mellitus and increasing cost of access to health care have all contributed to this. Renal transplantation has been the best treatment option in this situation. Historically the first renal transplantation in Kerala was performed in 1986 in Medical College Calicut under the leadership of Dr Roy Chally and Dr Thomas Mathew. Since then several centres have taken up performing this procedure in the state. Many more new centres are needed to bridge the gap between the needy and the actual numbers performed. Several factors are involved in the successful outcomes after renal transplantation. Prompt recognition of postoperative problems, excellent intensive care management of the recipient in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative settings and access to correct Immunosuppression regimes impact surgical outcomes.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to analyse and present our single-centre single surgeon experience concerning surgical complications among a series of 78 renal transplantations.

Methods: The study was a retrospective descriptive analysis in a series of 78 successive renal transplantations performed by a single surgeon in a single centre at the Department of Urology Medical College Trivandrum from January 2010 to August 2014 and analysing the surgical complications occurring in the followup period.

Results: Surgical complications occurred in 20 patients (25.64%). Both vascular (7.69%) and urologic (8.97%) complications occurred in equal incidence followed by lymphoceles (5.12%), wound related problems (3.84%) and other complications.

Conclusion: The study showed that the incidence of surgical complications among the 78 renal transplantations analysed were within the range seen in other series.