Bilateral nephrectomy before transplantation: indications, surgical approach, morbidity and mortality

Forty patients with end-stage renal failure, who had undergone simultaneous bilateral native nephrectomy before a subsequent renal transplant operation, were reviewed with particular reference to the indications and surgical approach for bilateral nephrectomy and to the complications of the procedure. The main indications for bilateral nephrectomy are hypertension resistant to medical therapy, persistent symptomatic renal infection, severe renal protein loss and occasionally polycystic kidneys or bilateral renal tumours. In this consecutive series of 40 patients both kidneys were removed because of chronic pyelonephritis with reflux (n = 28), glomerulonephritis with reflux (n = 9) and uncontrolled hypertension (n = 3). Surgical morbidity was less in patients who had bilateral nephrectomy performed through bilateral vertical lumbotomy incisions. There was no surgical mortality.     

Lethal complications of bilateral nephrectomy and splenectomy in hemodialyzed patients

Routine bilateral nephrectomy and splenectomy (BNS) in uremic patients before transplantation are relatively safe procedures except when there is pre-existing sepsis, diabetes, or severe hypertension.A review of 421 patients undergoing routine pretransplantation BNS reveals that death before transplantation occurs in two definable groups of patients. In our series, the first group, those with juvenile onset diabetes, have a 15.4 per cent pretransplantation mortality (9.6 per cent operative and 5.8 per cent nonoperative) while being maintained on hemodialysis and awaiting transplantation. The second group, nondiabetic patients with other preoperatively definable risk factors such as severe hypertension and infected kidneys, had a 3.25 per cent pretransplantation mortality (1.9 per cent operative and 1.25 per cent nonoperative) while on hemodialysis. Paradoxically, these same factors are used as absolute criteria for pretransplantation nephrectomy at institutions where this operation is not a routine part of the pretransplantation regimen.     

Results of surgical treatment of renovascular hypertension.

We have used a comprehensive protocol to identify secondary forms of hypertension and operated upon 77 patients with functionally significant renovascular disease. The population included 52 patients with atherosclerotic renal arterial lesions (31 unilateral and 21 bilateral) and 25 patients with fibrodysplasia (19 unilateral and 6 bilateral). In the entire population there was a 90% cured-improved rate, a 5% failure rate and a 5% postoperative mortality. The cure rate was highest in the unilateral fibrodysplasia group and lowest in those with bilateral atherosclerotic disease. The choice of initial operative approach was based on an attempt to preserve renal mass; in 11 patients vascular reconstruction was attempted and these required secondary nephrectomy because of early or late failure. All 11 patients had a good result after nephrectomy. Our observations indicate that a vigorous operative approach to renovascular hypertension is beneficial once accurate demonstration of a functionally significant lesion is made.     

Conservative surgery for transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis

From 1972 to 1986, 14 patients underwent a conservative operation for transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. Most of these patients had low grade (12), noninvasive (10) tumors involving a solitary functioning kidney (12). The operations performed were open pyelotomy with tumor excision and fulguration (8 patients), partial nephrectomy (5) and percutaneous nephroscopic fulguration (1). There was 1 operative death. Of the 13 surviving patients 8 (62 per cent) remained free of transitional cell carcinoma postoperatively, while 5 (38 per cent) had recurrent disease. Six patients (46 per cent) presently are free of tumor 6 months to 5 years postoperatively. Conservative surgical techniques can provide satisfactory treatment for selected patients with renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma when preservation of functioning renal parenchyma is necessary to avoid kidney failure.     

Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm in the high-risk patient.

In an attempt to define the preoperative risk factors that predictably influence mortality after aneurysmectomy, this study reviews the surgical management of abdominal aortic aneurysms in a series of 110 consecutive patients who underwent elective resection. The preoperative risks to be added to the present study included pulmonary insufficiency, renal dysfunction, advanced age of over 80 years, ischemic heart disease, and associated other diseases such as thoracic aneurysms, atherosclerosis of the limbs and malignant tumors. Forty-six patients had one of these risk factors (one-risk group), 17 had two (two-risk group), and 9 had three (three-risk group). The operative mortality rates were 4.2 per cent for the high-risk patients and 0 per cent for the patients at no risk. As the number of risk factors increased, aneurysm repair was associated with an increased operative mortality; being 2.2 per cent in the one-risk group, 5.9 per cent in the two-risk group and 11.1 per cent in the three-risk group. The common risk factor in patients who died after aneurysmectomy was pulmonary insufficiency which induced prolonged periods of assisted ventilation. Thus, the optimal management of high-risk patients, particularly those with pulmonary insufficiency, may reduce the mortality after aneurysmectomy.     

Review of abdominoperineal resections for cancer

One hundred eighty-six consecutive abdominoperineal resections for primary carcinoma of the anus, rectum, or sigmoid colon performed at Charity Hospital of Louisiana at New Orleans between January 1, 1963 and December 31, 1974 were reviewed. The operative mortality was 16 per cent. Complications during the same hospitalization occurred in 70 per cent of the patients. Although most of the complications were minor, 22 per cent did require some form of surgical intervention. Twenty-nine per cent of the patients who were discharged developed late mechanical or cancer-caused complications which required surgical correction. A history of congestive heart failure or a significant weight loss were the most consistent preoperative findings in the operative mortality group. The overall five year survival rate was 25 per cent. White females with no history of weight loss had the best long-term prognosis. Better survival in white patients can be accounted for by the less advanced lesions in these patients. No such difference between male and female patients could be demonstrated. Better selection of surgical candidates with alternate forms of therapy for poor risk patients have probably been the most significant factors in decreasing the operative mortality from 21 per cent in the first six years of the study to 9 per cent in the last six years. Primary closure of the perineal wound would appear to be of value in decreasing operative morbidity.     

Natural history of the leg amputee

For 173 patients undergoing major leg amputations, the operative mortality was 13 per cent. The ratio of below-knee (BK) to above-knee (AK) amputations was approximately unity. Of the 150 patients who survived amputation, 93 were given prostheses. Among the latter group, 76 per cent of the unilateral AK amputees and 90 per cent of the unilateral BK amputees had a successful rehabilitation. For those patients who had to be converted from BK to AK unilateral amputations, 40 per cent experienced successful rehabilitation, and for those who had either bilateral BK or bilateral mixed amputations, 45 per cent were successful. The most common contraindications to granting prostheses were debility and dementia. The mean time interval from first amputation to latest observation was 3.5 years (range, 5 weeks to 13.5 years). At three years 49 per cent of the patients survived and at five years 31 per cent survived. Despite major impediments, satisfactory rehabilitation is accomplished frequently enough to justify optimism for a considerable number of geriatric amputees.     

Extended hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

The results of extended hepatectomy in 25 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma performed over a 16 year period have been reviewed, analysed and compared with those of 144 patients who underwent lesser liver resection. Five left and 20 right extended hepatectomies were performed for tumours ranging from 3 to 20 cm in diameter. Seventeen (68 per cent) of the patients had non-cirrhotic livers. The major postoperative complications were: haemorrhage in five cases, major bile duct injury in three, subphrenic abscess in two, liver failure in one and wound dehiscence in one. The 30-day (operative) mortality rate was 12 per cent and the median survival duration, including operative mortality, was 9.7 (range 0.2-32.1) months. The survival rate was 46 per cent at 1 year, 33 per cent at 2 years and 22 per cent at 3 years. The morbidity, mortality and survival data of extended hepatectomy were comparable with the results of lesser hepatic resections for hepatocellular carcinoma. We conclude that extended hepatectomy is a worthwhile operation for large hepatocellular carcinomas and a viable alternative to liver transplantation.     

Experience with 247 living related donor nephrectomy cases at a single institution in Japan

There is currently much concern over the morbidity and mortality of donors undergoing nephrectomy for living related renal transplants. Between April, 1970 and July, 1986, 247 cases of living related renal transplants were performed at the Second Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. The average age of the donors was 50.3 +/- 9.7 years, 81 per cent of the donors being parents of the recipients. Minor abnormalities which did not affect the donors suitability were found in 71 cases. Nephrectomies were performed extraperitoneally in all cases. Peri-operative complications, including wound complications in 13 cases, urinary infection in 12 cases and pulmonary complications and arrhythmia in 4 cases, were considered to be minor in nature. A variety of renal function tests, carried out two weeks after nephrectomy revealed normal levels, although they had become slightly worse than those estimated pre-operatively. Long-term sequelae in the follow-up period from 18 months to 16 years and 2 months, was studied on 124 donors who answered questionnaires. Currently, there are 5 late deaths, none of which are directly related to the nephrectomy. Of the 124 donors, 85.5 per cent stated that there had been no change in their physical states following surgery. Pain or a feeling of discomfort at the wound site was reported by 10 donors (8.1 per cent) and hypertension was observed only in 3 (2.4 per cent). No major complication directly related to the donor nephrectomy was found, except for one case of incisional hernia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Experience with 247 living related donor nephrectomy cases at a single institution in Japan

There is currently much concern over the morbidity and mortality of donors undergoing nephrectomy for living related renal transplants. Between April, 1970 and July, 1986, 247 cases of living related renal transplants were performed at the Second Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. The average age of the donors was 50.3±9.7 years, 81 per cent of the donors being parents of the recipients. Minor abnormalities which did not affect the donors suitability were found in 71 cases. Nephrectomies were performed extraperitoneally in all cases. Peri-operative complications, including wound complications in 13 cases, urinary infection in 12 cases and pulmonary complications and arrythmia in 4 cases, were considered to be minor in nature. A variety of renal function tests, carried out two weeks after nephrectomy revealed normal levels, although they had become slightly worse than those estimated pre-operatively. Long-term sequalae in the follow-up period from 18 months to 16 years and 2 months, was studied on 124 donors who answered questionnaires. Currently, there are 5 late deaths, none of which are directly related to the nephrectomy. Of the 124 donors, 85.5 per cent stated that there had been no change in their physical states following surgery. Pain or a feeling of discomfort at the wound site was reported by 10 donors (8.1 per cent) and hypertension was observed only in 3 (2.4 per cent). No major complication directly related to the donor nephrectomy was found, except for one case of incisional hernia. The donor nephrectomy operation thus appeared to be quite safe, and successful long-term sequelae can be obtained if the donor is selected carefully, according to the strict prospective evaluation of medical state and renal functions.     

Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm in the high-risk patient

In an attempt to define the preoperative risk factors that predictably influence mortality after aneurysmectomy, this study reviews the surgical management of abdominal aortic aneurysms in a series of 110 consecutive patients who underwent elective resection. The preoperative risks to be added to the present study included pulmonary insufficiency, renal dysfunction, advanced age of over 80 years, ischemic heart disease, and associated other diseases such as thoracic aneurysms, atherosclerosis of the limbs and malignant tumors. Forty-six patients had one of these risk factors (one-risk group), 17 had two (two-risk group), and 9 had three (three-risk group). The operative mortality rates were 4.2 per cent for the high-risk patients and 0 per cent for the patients at no risk. As the number of risk factors increased, aneurysm repair was associated with an increased operative mortality; being 2.2 per cent in the one-risk group, 5.9 per cent in the two-risk group and 11.1 per cent in the three-risk group. The common risk factor in patients who died after aneurysmectomy was pulmonary insufficiency which induced prolonged periods of assisted ventilation. Thus, the optimal management of high-risk patients, particularly those with pulmonary insufficiency, may reduce the mortality after aneurysmectomy. This paper was presented at the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Cardiovascular Surgery held in Sapporo, Japan, on June 8–9, 1989     

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of surgical patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcal infections

The purpose of this study is to determine risk factors associated with mortality in surgical patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) infections. The hospitalizations of surgical patients with VRE infections from January 1998 to December 2001 were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test, chi square, and Fisher's exact test. Thirty-one surgical patients (male:female, 14:17) with a mean age of 51.9 years (range, 21-83 years) developed VRE infection. Infections included bacteremia (12), urinary tract (11), surgical site (seven), and soft tissue (five) infections and intra-abdominal abscess (one). Nine (29.0 per cent) patients received recent outpatient antibiotics and 20 (64.5 per cent) were on steroids. Fifteen (48.4 per cent) patients were treated with intravenous vancomycin before infection. Twelve (38.1 per cent) patients died with a trend toward advanced age (60.7 vs 46.5 years; P = 0.06). The incidence of VRE infection in kidney transplant patients was 1.8 per cent. Six transplant patients (five kidney and one kidney/ pancreas) developed VRE infections with four deaths. Hypertension (P = 0.04), coronary artery disease (P = 0.02), and the need for intra-arterial pressure monitoring (P = 0.04) were associated with mortality. Isolate location, gender, diabetes, renal dysfunction, respiratory disease, liver disease, and serum albumin were not associated with mortality. Kidney transplant patients have a high incidence of VRE infection. Surgical patients with VRE infections have a high mortality rate. Hypertension and coronary artery disease are risk factors for mortality.     

Hepatic trauma: risk factors influencing outcome

This retrospective study analyses the fate and associated risk factors of 99 patients who underwent laparotomy for hepatic trauma from 1977 to 1986. Blunt trauma (88 patients) and stab wounds (7 patients) had mortality rates of 36 and 14 per cent respectively. The overall death rate was 35 per cent. Multiple trauma patients had a significantly higher mortality for each additional system that was seriously injured. Pre-operative shock raised the mortality from 20 to 58 per cent (P less than 0.001). For patients over 50 years of age, the mortality rate increased from 30 (younger patients) to 63 per cent (P = 0.028). Minor hepatic wounds required relatively simple surgical measures in 60 patients, yet 13 died (22 per cent) of other causes. More sophisticated surgical management was applied to 27 major hepatic lesions, with 10 deaths (37 per cent). Twelve patients (seven with minor and five with major hepatic wounds) died before surgical treatment of the liver injury could be undertaken. The overall mortality rate of major hepatic wounds was 47 per cent and for minor wounds 30 per cent. However, the difference was not significant (P = 0.152). Resection was resorted to in 15 patients, 5 of whom subsequently died (33 per cent). Classical hepatic lobectomy led to 4 deaths (50 per cent). Among the 35 deaths, 6 were due to the hepatic trauma itself (5 exsanguinations and 1 intra-abdominal sepsis). Isolated hepatic injury was fatal in three patients. We believe that conservative surgical measures should be used whenever possible in patients with hepatic trauma, especially when risk factors are encountered.     

Survival after palliative surgery for advanced intraabdominal cancer.

The clinical course of 300 patients with known intraabdominal neoplasm requiring surgical exploration was analyzed. The most common primary tumor sites were the gastrointestinal tract (60 per cent), female reproductive organs (17 per cent), and urinary tract (6 per cent). Gastrointestinal and extrahepatic biliary obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding, and peritonitis were the most common indications for surgery. The overall operative mortality was 26 per cent, and the mean survival time was 6.6 months. Small bowel fistulas, intraabdominal abscesses, and cardiopulmonary and renal failure were the leading causes of death. Palliative procedures in patients less than sixty years old with single site of obstruction or with tumor of gastrointestinal origin were associated with a low operative mortality and prolonged survival. On the other hand, surgical intervention in patients more than seventy years old undergoing chemotherapy, with multiple sites of obstruction, peritonitis, or primary tumor originating outside the gastrointestinal tract, was associated with high operative mortality and seldom benefited from palliative intervention. Surgical intervention to relieve a distressing symptom in a patient with advanced neoplasm is a well established procedure, but the risks and benefits of such intervention should be carefully weighed against the expected mortality and the quality of survival.     

Surgery in the nineties

The population of the United States is aging, and by 2020 it is estimated that 16 per cent of U.S. citizens will be over 65 years of age. Little has been published about the results of surgery in nonagenarians but mortality rates of 45 per cent are reported. Given recent improvements in perioperative care we reviewed the experience with major general surgical operative procedures in nonagenarians. We reviewed the charts of patients greater than or equal to 90 years of age who underwent general surgical procedures at UCLA Medical Center since 1986. No patients were excluded. Thirty-two patients were identified. Most (87.5%) patients had significant premorbid conditions. The most common diagnoses were cancer (12), incarcerated hernia (seven), trauma (three), colonic volvulus (two), and cholecystitis (two). Overall perioperative mortality was 9.4 per cent (3 of 32). Twenty-two surgeries (69%) were performed on an emergency basis, and all three deaths were in this group (13.6%). Overall morbidity rate was 57 per cent. Mean intensive care unit stay was 4.8 days. Most patients were discharged home. Our findings support the perioperative safety of elective general surgery in nonagenarians (0% mortality and 20% morbidity). We also found an acceptable risk (13.6% mortality and 68% morbidity) for emergency procedures despite significant comorbid conditions. Most of the patients had acceptable functional outcomes.     

Total hip arthroplasty in the ankylosed hip. A ten-year follow-up

Eighty total hip arthroplasties in seventy-four patients who had had either a spontaneous or a surgical ankylosis (arthrodesis) of the hip were evaluated at nine to fifteen years (average, 10.4 years) after the total hip replacement. There was only one failure in the twenty hips of the fifteen patients who had had a spontaneous ankylosis. In contrast, twenty (33 per cent) of the sixty hips of the sixty patients who had had a surgical ankylosis had complications that were associated with the arthroplasty. Of these twenty hips, mechanical loosening developed in eleven; infection, in eight; and recurring dislocation, in one. Failure of the total hip arthroplasty was more common (p less than 0.05) in the patients who had had a previous surgical attempt at arthrodesis and in the patients who were fifty years old or less at the time of the arthroplasty. The risk of failure was not related to the length of time that the hip had been ankylosed.     

The natural history of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a computer analysis.

Survival factors of 86 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma were studied by computer analysis. Cumulative survival was 53 per cent at 6 months, 43 per cent at 1 year, 26 per cent at 2 years and 13 per cent at 5 years. Survival was influenced favorably by confinement of metastases to the lungs, by the absence of local recurrence or persistence of tumor and by a longer interval free of disease after removal of the primary tumor. Medical therapy improved survival during the first year after diagnosis of metastases but no objective regression of tumor was observed. Excision of metastatic foci significantly improved survival for up to 5 years (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.02) after which most patients died of recurrence. Palliative or adjunctive nephrectomy in patients with metastases was associated with a 6 per cent mortality rate but it increases survival over other patients with metastases at the time of diagnosis of renal carcinoma who did not undergo nephrectomy. This difference was owing to patient selection and survival of those who had adjunctive nephrectomy was no greater than that of the study population as a whole. However, based on the factors that were associated with improved survival palliative nephrectomy may be beneficial when a limited number of metastases treatable by excision or radiation therapy are present, when effective systemic therapy exists or when the primary tumor produces severe symptoms.     

125Iodine implantation for carcinoma of the prostate: 5-year survival free of disease and incidence of local failure

Interstitial implantation with the 125iodine isotope has been used as definitive treatment in 115 patients with localized carcinoma of the prostate. The disease was staged surgically by bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy in all of the patients. Followup has been for a minimum of 1 year and 64 patients have been followed for a minimum of 5 years. There has been no operative mortality in this series. Mean patient age at implantation was 63 years. Potency has been maintained in 31 of 46 patients (78 per cent) followed for a minimum of 5 years and 15 of 26 (58 per cent) followed for a minimum of 7 years. At 5 years the actuarial survival free of disease by surgical stage was 100, 81, 49 and 41 per cent for patients with stages A2, B, C and D1 disease, respectively. All 7 patients with stage B1 nodules followed to 5 years are free of disease. The actuarial survival free of disease by grade at 5 years was 95 per cent for patients with well, 65 per cent with moderately and 34 per cent with poorly differentiated tumors. Local failure was defined as palpable evidence of prostatic enlargement or irregularity with biopsy confirmation of neoplasm. Patients with positive biopsy plus normal or stable prostatic examinations were not considered local failures, although such patients are at high risk for failure in the future. The actuarial probability of local failure at 5 years was 0, 13, 27 and 44 per cent for patients with surgical stages A2, B, C and D1 disease, respectively, and 5, 23 and 43 per cent for those with well, moderately and poorly differentiated tumors, respectively. Based on our experience, interstitial implantation with 125iodine isotope is reserved for patients with well or moderately differentiated stage B lesions. The ultimate success of this treatment modality awaits 10 and 15 years of followup.     

Renal cell carcinoma--angioinfarction

In our experience the mortality rate in 46 patients who underwent angioinfarction for renal cell carcinoma was 4 per cent. Fever, ileus and leukocytosis were noted in 86 to 90 per cent of our patients. The use of absolute ethanol as a medium for renal infarction was associated with a significant incidence of damage to other organs. A 30 per cent decrease in tumor volume following angioinfarction using absorbable gelatin sponge and Gianturco coils was noted in 75 per cent of the patients. There was no evidence of metastatic tumor reduction and we could not document any significant decrease in operative time or blood loss. It would appear that there is some increased survival rate in patients with metastasis who are given adjuvant immune ribonucleic acid therapy. However, the numbers in our series are not significant to draw any definite conclusion. It is apparent that patients treated with infarction, delayed nephrectomy and medroxyprogesterone acetate did not have any significant survival over those treated with palliative nephrectomy or chemotherapy. The macrophage maturation assay may be useful during clinical followup.     

Hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy for inflammatory renal conditions

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic surgery for large renal lesion or kidneys with chronic inflammation has proved to be technically challenging. Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery might be useful in these complex cases, as it provides surgeons the benefits of tactile feedback, digital retraction, and facilitated dissection of the renal hilar vessels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients undergoing hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL) nephrectomy for benign conditions were compared with patients who underwent HAL radical nephrectomy during the same period. The demographic data, laterality, operative time, estimated blood loss, conversion rate, length of stay, histopathology findings, morbidity, and mortality were reviewed. RESULTS: The main indications for surgery were chronic inflammation and xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. Twenty patients had unilateral nephrectomy (10 each on the right and left), and two patients had bilateral nephrectomy. The mean operative times for unilateral and bilateral nephrectomy were 163 minutes (range 55-261 minutes) and 265 minutes (range, 238-291 minutes), respectively. Nine patients (45%) with inflammation had complications (15% major and 30% minor). The mean length of hospitalization for patients undergoing HAL nephrectomy was 7.2 days (range 2-35 days). The patients with inflammatory pathology had longer mean operative times, higher estimated blood loss, longer hospital stay, and higher morbidity than patients undergoing radical nephrectomy. CONCLUSION: Compared with standard laparoscopy, the hand-assisted approach has been reported to reduce operative times and increase safety. The advantages of minimally invasive surgery, such as reduced analgesia, shorter hospital stay, and faster return to normal activity, appear to be similar to those in patients undergoing a pure laparoscopic nephrectomy. Compared with radical nephrectomy for renal tumor, HAL simple nephrectomy can often be more challenging and associated with greater morbidity. For both the community urologist as well as an experienced laparoscopist, this approach is useful in handling these challenging cases.