Noninvasive radiological diagnosis of renal vein thrombosis in renal transplantation.
Thrombosis of the allograft renal vein is a rare complication of renal transplantation. Of 557 consecutive renal transplants performed between January 1, 1985 and November 30, 1989, 3 cases occurred for an over-all incidence of 0.4%. In 2 cases the diagnosis was made preoperatively with renal scintigraphy and duplex Doppler sonography. No graft was salvaged, despite timely diagnosis in 2 patients. We conclude that the diagnosis of renal vein thrombosis in the renal allograft recipient should be suspected clinically and by the radiographic findings of absent perfusion on renal scintigraphy, and the detection of an arterial signal, albeit abnormal, on duplex Doppler sonography. When diagnosed, nephrectomy appears to be the only treatment.
Duckett
T
T
Department of Surgery, UCLA School of Medicine 90024.
Bretan
P N
PN
Cochran
S T
ST
Rajfer
J
J
Rosenthal
J T
JT
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012086:Reoperation; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014463:Ultrasonography
D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate