Mark D. Odland

Initial experience with laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND Advances in laparoscopic instruments and video technology have made laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) feasible. We report our initial experience with this technique. METHODS A retrospective review of 30 open donor nephrectomies and our first 30 LDNs was performed to assess donor and recipient outcome and resource usage. RESULTS LDN was successfully completed in 26 donors (87%). The increased operative time and costs were balanced by less postoperative pain, earlier discharge, earlier return to normal activity and work, fewer incision problems, and less personal financial loss. Recipient outcome was not affected. CONCLUSION LDN is technically feasible and safe, and recipient graft outcomes are equivalent. Convalescence is shortened, and there is less personal financial loss. LDN offers significant benefit to the donor and may result in increased organ donation.

Experience with colonic volvulus.

Fifty-eight cases of colonic volvulus were reviewed including 30 cases of sigmoid volvulus, 27 cases of cecal volvulus, and 1 of transverse colon volvulus. Decompression procedures were attempted in 31 instances of sigmoid volvulus in 27 patients and were successful 25 times (81 percent). Seven patients with sigmoid volvulus did not undergo surgery and of those, two died of unrelated causes, one was lost to follow-up, one was well, and three had recurrent volvulus. Twenty-four operations were performed on 23 patients and there were three deaths (13 percent mortality). There was one recurrence in two patients who underwent simple detorsion. Chronic large-bowel motility disturbances were a persistent problem in 9 of 20 (45 percent) surgical survivors. Among 27 instances of cecal volvulus, one was reduced by contrast enema and ten endoscopic attempts at decompression were unsuccessful. Twenty-six operations were done and there were four operative deaths (15 percent mortality). There were no recurrences. Large-bowel motility disorders were noted in follow-up in 3 of 22 patients (14 percent). Overall there were 10 deaths in 58 patients for a 17 percent mortality rate. These data support the importance of endoscopic decompression for sigmoid volvulus but not for cecal volvulus. Definitive treatment of both forms of volvulus should include assessment of colonic motility.

Ureteroarterial fistula: case report and review of literature.

A fistula developed between the left common iliac artery and the distal left ureter of an 83-year-old woman who had undergone aortofemoral bypass grafting many years previously and in whom a Double-J stent was in place for 3 weeks while she was awaiting extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Exsanguinating hemorrhage into the urinary tract necessitated emergency nephrectomy and vascular repair. Although these measures were successful temporarily, the patient died 6 weeks later of repeat myocardial infarction and acute renal failure. The increasing frequency of ureteral stent use and of an operation on the iliac arteries is expected to increase the frequency of these potentially catastrophic fistulas.

Civilian rectal trauma: A changing perspective

BACKGROUND Recently the Organ Injury Scaling Committee of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma developed a Rectal Injury Scaling System (RISS). Little data exist regarding its clinical utility. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients with rectal injuries to assess the impact of the RISS on patient management and outcome. We compared RISS grade I patients (group I, partial-thickness injury) with patients with grades 2, 3, and 4 injuries (group II, full-thickness injury). RESULTS Group II underwent distal rectal washout and repair of the injury twice as often and had a significantly higher rate of diversion of the fecal stream. This was associated with a 3-fold increase in complications. The only complications in group I were in patients managed with diversion of the fecal stream and distal rectal washout. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that aggressive surgical management for RISS grade I injury may not be necessary. Implementation of therapy based on the RISS may improve outcomes of civilian rectal trauma.

Clinical impact of replacing Minnesota antilymphocyte globulin with ATGAM.

In August 1992, we replaced Minnesota antilymphocyte globulin (MALG) with lymphocyte immune globulin, antithymocyte globulin (equine) (ATGAM) in our immunosuppression protocols. The clinical impression of increased graft rejection prompted our assessment of the effect of this change on patient and graft outcome. The initial study group consisted of 426 renal transplant recipients transplanted between October 1, 1987, and September 21, 1993. After exclusions, 388 transplant events, with a minimum 8-month follow-up, made up the final study cohort: 323 patients received MALG and 65 received ATGAM. Immunosuppression included intravenous methylprednisolone, oral prednisone, oral AZA, CsA in some cases, and intravenous MALG or ATGAM, 15 mg/kg/day, for 7 to 14 days. Acute rejection was treated with high dose intravenous steroids and steroid-resistant episodes were treated additionally with either MALG or OKT3. Statistical comparisons were stratified for multiple patient characteristics and treatment variations. There was a greater incidence of rejection in general, and a higher incidence of steroid-resistant episodes requiring subsequent antilymphocyte globulin therapy (P = 0.0073) in patients receiving ATGAM versus MALG. No difference was seen in the incidence of CMV infection or blood-borne sepsis. Lymphoma occurred in 3 MALG and 2 ATGAM recipients. MALG recipients were significantly less likely to experience rejection within the first 60 days after transplant (P = 0.0127 using unstratified data; P <0.0001 when data were stratified for patient characteristics). The relative risk of acute rejection for posttransplant days 5, 7, 10, and 14 was consistently higher for ATGAM-treated patients. We conclude that MALG and ATGAM are not equivalent drugs, and that MALG is a more effective immunosuppressant, and is just as safe as ATGAM in our protocol environment.

A randomized trial comparing cyclosporine induction with sequential therapy in renal transplant recipients

Abstract Calcium antagonists may reduce the nephrotoxicity of cyclosporine (CsA), allowing CsA to be introduced immediately after renal transplantation and thereby obviating the need for sequential induction therapy with a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody. To test this hypothesis, in a pilot feasibility trial 100 cadaveric or one-haplotype-mismatched living-related renal transplant recipients were randomized to either (1) sequential therapy with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) (ATGAM; Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI) 20 mg/kg/d for 7 to 14 days until renal function was established and CsA (Sandimmune; Sandoz, East Hanover, NJ) was started, or (2) CsA 8 mg/kg/d begun immediately before surgery with diltiazem (Cardizem; Marion Merrell Dow, Kansas City, MO) 60 mg sustained release twice daily. Acute rejection episodes during the first 90 days were not different with ATG versus CsA induction (42% v 28%; P = 0.142 by chi-square analysis). Graft failures (10% v 16%; P = 0.372) and the incidence of delayed graft function (28% v 34%; P = 0.516) were also similar with ATG compared with CsA. ATG caused lower platelet counts (138 ± 59 × 103v 197 ± 75 × 103 at 7 days; P

Causes and Evaluation of Incipient Vascular Access Failure in Chronic Hemodialysis

The life span of a patient committed to chronic hemodialysis depends on the number of sites available for vascular access and the longevity of each site. Long-term vascular access is thus critical to success in chronic hemodialysis. To maximize the longevity of an access site, constant evaluation and appropriate care are essential ( 1-4). This communication deals with the failing of the most common forms of access: The Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistula and the subcutaneous conduit fistula.

A Clinical Tool to Risk Stratify Potential Kidney Transplant Recipients and Predict Severe Adverse Events.

Preoperative risk assessment of potential kidney transplant recipients often fails to adequately balance risk related to underlying comorbidities with the beneficial impact of kidney transplantation. We sought to develop a simple scoring system based on factors known at the time of patient assessment for placement on the waitlist to predict likelihood of severe adverse events 1 year post‐transplant. The tool includes four components: age, cardiopulmonary factors, functional status, and metabolic factors. Pre‐transplant factors strongly associated with severe adverse events include diabetic (OR: 3.76, P<.001), coronary artery disease (OR: 3.45, P<.001), history of CABG/PCI (OR 3.1, P=.001), and peripheral vascular disease (OR 2.74, P=.008).The score was evaluated by calculation of concordance index. The C statistic of 0.74 for the risk stratification group was considered good discrimination in the validation cohort (N=127) compared to the development cohort (N=368). The pre‐transplant risk group was highly predictive of severe adverse events (OR 2.36, P<.001). Patients stratified into the above average‐risk group were four times more likely to experience severe adverse events compared to average‐risk patients, while patients in the high‐risk group were nearly 11 times more likely to experience severe adverse events. The pre‐transplant risk stratification tool is a simple scoring scheme using easily obtained preoperative characteristics that can meaningfully stratify patients in terms of post‐transplant risk and may ultimately guide patient selection and inform the counseling of potential kidney transplant recipients.

Unusual transplant renal angioplasty complication: Case report

We report an avulsion of a transplant upper pole renal artery following apparently successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of a stenosis involving main, upper, and lower pole renal arteries. We believe that the use of a high pressure balloon was the causative factor. If the branches at the bifurcation cannot be protected and if the stenoses fail to resolve under moderate balloon insufflation pressures (<5–6 atmospheres), consideration should be given to surgical revascularization.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Cyclosporine Induction With Sequential Therapy in Renal Transplant Recipients

Calcium antagonists may reduce the nephrotoxicity of cyclosporine (CsA), allowing CsA to be introduced immediately after renal transplantation and thereby obviating the need for sequential induction therapy with a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody. To test this hypothesis, in a pilot feasibility trial 100 cadaveric or one-haplotype-mismatched living-related renal transplant recipients were randomized to either (1) sequential therapy with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) (ATGAM; Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI) 20 mg/kg/d for 7 to 14 days until renal function was established and CsA (Sandimmune; Sandoz, East Hanover, NJ) was started, or (2) CsA 8 mg/kg/d begun immediately before surgery with diltiazem (Cardizem; Marion Merrell Dow, Kansas City, MO) 60 mg sustained release twice daily. Acute rejection episodes during the first 90 days were not different with ATG versus CsA induction (42% v 28%; P = 0.142 by chi-square analysis). Graft failures (10% v 16%; P = 0.372) and the incidence of delayed graft function (28% v 34%; P = 0.516) were also similar with ATG compared with CsA. ATG caused lower platelet counts (138 +/- 59 x 10(3) v 197 +/- 75 x 10(3) at 7 days; P < 0.001) and lower white blood cell counts (9.6 +/- 4.6 x 10(3) v 12.3 +/- 4.9 x 10(3) at 7 days; P = 0.003). Diltiazem reduced the dose of CsA required to maintain target blood levels (479 +/- 189 mg/d v 576 +/- 178 mg/d at 14 days; P = 0.015). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in serum creatinine levels at days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 28, 60, or 90. The results of this pilot feasibility trial suggest that prophylactic treatment with CsA and diltiazem may be equally effective and less toxic than ATG induction after renal transplantation.