Introduction: Renal allograft rupture in the transplanted patient represents a usually early postoperatory complication threatening graft and patient survival. Urgent management is often required.
Material and methods: Renal transplanted patients which had rupture of the renal allograft have been reviewed retrospectively. Between February 1980 and June 1996 a total of 868 renal transplants were performed, and 21 (2.41%) suffered from allograft rupture. Diagnosis was based mainly on the symptoms, blood analysis to test hematocrit value, and ultrasounds.
Results: Men age of the patients was 34 years old (21-49), 15 (71.4%) males and 6 (28.6%) females. Evolution was as follow: 4 patients underwent extracapsular nephrectomy due to non-functioning kidney; in 16 patients the graft could be preserved using different methods of renal corsetage (lyophilized human dura was applied in 8 cases, fascia lata in one, fascia lata and lyophilized human dura in 3 cases, and polyglycolic acid mesh in other 4 patients); and finally one patient was managed conservatively. There was no intra and post-operatory mortality. Four patients died lately of other causes not related to renal transplantation. Other 4 patients underwent chronic rejection and fail of the renal function. Two of these four patients have already received their second graft. A total of 13 patients have a good renal function (61.9%).
Conclusions: Early diagnosis of the renal allograft rupture must be the main objective in order to initiate as soon as possible therapeutic measures that firstly should be aimed to preserve the graft (medically or surgically). Nephrectomy must be reserved for renal allograft rupture secondary to venous thrombosis and other situations threatening life.