This study reports major gastrointestinal complications in a group of 416 patients following kidney transplantation. Three hundred and ninety-nine patients received a cadaveric kidney while the other 17 received a living related organ. The immunosuppressive regimen changed somewhat during the course of the study but included azathioprine, prednisolone, antilymphocyte globulin, and cyclosporin. Perforations occurred in the colon (n = 6), small bowel (n = 4), duodenum (n = 2), stomach (n = 1), and esophagus (n = 1). There were five cases of acute pancreatitis, four of upper gastrointestinal and two of lower intestinal hemorrhage, two of acute appendicitis, one of acute cholecystitis, one postoperative mesenteric infarction, and two small bowel obstructions. Fifty percent of the complications occurred while patients were being given high-dose immunosuppression to manage either the early postoperative period or episodes of acute rejection. Ten percent of the complications had an iatrogenic cause. Of the 31 patients affected, 10 (30%) died as a direct result of their gastrointestinal complication. This high mortality appears to be related to the effects of the immunosuppression and the associated response to sepsis. Reduction of these complications can be achieved by improved surgical management, preventive measures, prompt diagnosis, and a reduced immunosuppressive protocol.

This study reports major gastrointestinal complications in a group of 416 patients following kidney transplantation. Three hundred and ninety-nine patients received a cadaveric kidney while the other 17 received a living related organ. The immunosuppressive regimen changed somewhat during the course of the study but included azathioprine, prednisolone, antilymphocyte globulin, and cyclosporin. Perforations occurred in the colon (n = 6), small bowel (n = 4), duodenum (n = 2), stomach (n = 1), and esophagus (n = 1). There were five cases of acute pancreatitis, four of upper gastrointestinal and two of lower intestinal hemorrhage, two of acute appendicitis, one of acute cholecystitis, one postoperative mesenteric infarction, and two small bowel obstructions. Fifty percent of the complications occurred while patients were being given high-dose immunosuppression to manage either the early postoperative period or episodes of acute rejection. Ten percent of the complications had an iatrogenic cause. Of the 31 patients affected, 10 (30%) died as a direct result of their gastrointestinal complication. This high mortality appears to be related to the effects of the immunosuppression and the associated response to sepsis. Reduction of these complications can be achieved by improved surgical management, preventive measures, prompt diagnosis, and a reduced immunosuppressive protocol.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Access to the 4th part of the duodenum in the region of the ligament of Treitz can be very difficult. Primary repair or traditional duodenal diverticulization is often technically challenging for managing trauma at this location. Due to the frequent concomitant injuries and hemorrhage, a quick, simple and safe repair technique is highly desirable. Methods: 3 patients with penetrating injuries to the 4th part of the duodenum were managed by a technique affording good exposure, and involving linear stapling across the bowel proximal and distal to the site of injury, with a jejuno-duodenal anastomosis to the 2nd part of the duodenum, the proximal jejunum having been delivered through a window fashioned in the transverse mesocolon. Results: All patients survived and suffered no complications of their duodenal repair. Conclusions: The technique described offers a relatively simple, apparently safe and effective approach to a difficult problem in trauma surgery.