title: Seatbelt injury resulting in functional loss of a transplanted kidney.
abstract: The transplanted kidney, lying heterotopically in the iliac fossa, is especially vulnerable to damage from blunt trauma, particularly compression by vehicle seatbelt. We present a case wherein a functioning renal allograft lying in the right iliac fossa was severely injured by seatbelt compression, resulting in significant functional compromise and eventual loss. The patient later underwent successful retransplantation with a second living donor kidney. Management of injured renal transplant recipients requires appreciation of mechanisms likely to cause damage to the graft, as well as familiarity with available treatment options, both surgical and nonsurgical. As functional life spans of renal allografts improve, this type of injury will most likely be encountered with increasing frequency.
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Ambar S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gedaly
authors.forename: Hoonbae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ranjan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000293:injuries*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy