title: Colon perforation in renal transplant patients.
abstract: Six patients with spontaneous colonic perforation after cadaveric kidney transplantation are described. Five perforations occurred in a diverticulum of the sigmoid colon, while one was at the suture line after a colotomy performed 5 months previously. Four patients died. Clinical diagnosis was difficult, but on x-ray examination free air in the abdominal cavity  was found in 3 patients. Explorative laparotomy should be performed promptly when the diagnosis is suspected. All patients above the age of 4o should be screened with a barium enema prior to transplantation.
mesh_terms: D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous