title: Treatment of urological complications in more than 1,000 kidney transplantations: the role of interventional radiology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of interventional radiology procedures in the treatment of major urological complications after kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2000 and 2010, 1,146 kidney transplants were performed at our institution. A total of 146 major complications occurred, including 77 obstructions, 36 leaks and 33 associated perigraft fluid collections. Percutaneous treatment was carried out in 118/146 complications in 91 patients. In the case of stenosis-obstruction and fistulas (104 complications), the first therapeutic step was placement of a nephrostomy catheter, followed by balloon ureteroplasty, placement of external-internal catheters and double-J stents; 14/33 collections were drained under ultrasound guidance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all 118 percutaneous interventions, we were able to place a nephrostomy or drainage catheter, with a technical success rate of 100 %. The long-term success rate was 49.6 %: in 57/115 (three patients were lost to follow-up) we obtained the complete resolution of the complication. The procedure-related mortality rate was 0 %. There was only one major complication and the rate of minor complications was 14.4 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventional radiology is the first choice option in the treatment of urological complications after kidney transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, Radiology Institute University of Torino, A.O Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Via Genova 3, 10126, Turin, Italy, paolo.fonio@unito.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fonio
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Appendino
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calandri
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faletti
authors.forename: Dorico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015642:Radiology, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*