Sensory disturbance of the thigh after renal transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Although sensory disturbance of the anterior and/or lateral thigh often develops after renal transplantation, this complication is overlooked because of the minor degree of disability. We evaluated the rate of sensory disturbance of the thigh after renal transplantation.


METHODS
We examined neurological deficits of the thigh on the operated side in 61 patients who underwent renal transplantation, including 48 using the internal and 13 using the external iliac artery.


RESULTS
We noted sensory disturbance in 23 of the 61 cases, including 20 of the 48 in which the internal iliac artery was used. One patient had complete femoral nerve palsy involving motor weakness. Sensory disturbance was in the anterior thigh in 15 patients, in the lateral thigh in 3, and on the anterior and lateral thigh in 2. Postoperatively there was sensory disturbance of the thigh in 3 of the 13 patients in whom the external iliac artery was used. Sensory disturbance persists in all 3 cases at the time of this report, including in the anterior thigh in 1, and in the anterior and lateral thigh in 2.


CONCLUSIONS
The rate of sensory disturbance of the thigh after renal transplantation is high. Therefore, we should inform patients of the possibility of sensory disturbance before renal transplantation surgery is performed.
Murata
Y
Y
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba City, Japan.
Sakamoto
K
K
Hayashi
R
R
Takahashi
K
K
Nakamura
S
S
Moriya
H
H
D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013848:Thigh / Q000294:innervation*