Screening for sickle trait among potential live kidney donors: policies and practices in US transplant centers.

Sickle cell trait is common in the United States (US) and associated with abnormalities of renal function. Little is known, however, about the potential risk of sickle cell trait to live kidney donors. Using an original questionnaire, we assessed the policies and practices of US renal transplant centers with regard to screening for sickle trait among potential live kidney donors. Fifty-four percent (137/252) of centers responded. Eighty-three percent (113/137) of transplant centers had no policy to screen donors for sickle trait. Thirty-four percent (46/135) of centers reported actually screening donors for sickle trait in practice. Thirty-seven percent (39/105) of centers reported excluding donors with sickle trait always or most of the time. High volume centers (>100 live donor transplants/year) were more likely to screen for sickle trait (Fisher's exact, P = 0.03), but not more likely to exclude potential donors with sickle trait from donating. Most US renal transplant centers do not screen donors for sickle trait. Wide variation is evident in center practice regarding exclusion of donors on the basis of sickle trait. Research into the potential impact of sickle trait on renal function after donation is needed to guide transplant clinicians.     

Biliary complications in right lateral sector graft live donor liver transplantation.

Biliary complications remain the most challenging issue in adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to the best of our knowledge, no study has focused on the biliary complications in LDLT with right lateral sector graft (RLSG), a graft consisting of segments VI and VII according to Couinaud's nomenclature for liver segmentation. Between January 1996 and October 2006, 310 LDLTs were performed for adult recipients at our institution. Among them, 20 patients received RLSG. The incidence of biliary complications during follow-up in these patients with RLSG was retrospectively analyzed. Follow-up period after transplantation ranged from 1 to 87 months (median 58 months). The 3-year and 5-year graft survival rates following the use of RLSGs in LDLT were 90% and 90%, respectively. Biliary complications were encountered in altogether nine patients. Two patients (10%) were complicated with bile leakage requiring surgical intervention. Seven patients (35%) were complicated with bile duct stenosis, which occurred with a median interval of 26 months (range: 6-51 months) after LDLT. Four were treated surgically and the other three were treated by endoscopic approach. Outcomes of the interventions were satisfactory in all cases. The incidence and severity of biliary complications after LDLT using RLSG was within an acceptable range with excellent graft survival. Accordingly, it is concluded that RLSG is a technically feasible option that may effectively expand the donor pool. Further application of RLSG is warranted.     

Successful Surgical Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Transplanted Kidney from a Cadaveric Donor: Report of a Case

Posttransplant renal cell carcinoma (RCC) usually arises in the native kidneys of renal transplant recipients rather than in the transplanted kidney. This report describes a case of RCC that developed in the transplanted cadaveric kidney in a 37-year-old male recipient 9 months after transplantation. An en bloc radical transplant nephrectomy was performed, and he has subsequently remained stable on hemodialysis for 3 years without any sign of recurrence. Received: March 27, 2000 / Accepted: September 26, 2000     

Viability of liver grafts from fasted donor rats: relationship to sinusoidal endothelial cell apoptosis

Previous studies have shown that livers from fasted donors appear to tolerate long-term preservation better than livers from fed donors, but the mechanism is not clear. Some studies have shown that the apoptosis of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) appeared to be a pivotal mechanism of ischemia/reperfusion injury in liver transplantation. The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the relation of SEC apoptosis to liver viability in rats after liver transplantation, comparing findings for fasted and fed donors. Wistar rats were used as donors and recipients. The fed group had access to solid feed and water ad libitum. The fasted group was allowed access only to water for 4 days prior to liver harvest. All rat livers were preserved with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution at 2 °C for 24 h. After preservation, the livers were orthotopically transplanted, and survival time was measured. Apoptosis was determined by in-situ staining for apoptotic cells, using a TdT-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay and electron microscope (EM) examination separately. The 14-day survival rates after 24-h preservation were 0% (0/11) for recipients of livers from fed donors and 91% (10/11) for recipients of livers from fasted donors. There was no significant difference in the numbers of TUNEL-positive SEC after 24-h preservation between the two groups. However, at 6 h after transplantation, the number of TUNEL-positive SEC was significantly higher in the fed group than in the fasted group. These results suggest that donor fasting decreases SEC apoptosis after reperfusion alone, and that this may be related to the protection of the liver graft from reperfusion injury. Received: December 22, 2000 / Accepted: February 15, 2001     

Tape-guided living donor left hepatectomy

A procedure of tape-guided living donor left hepatectomy is described. A tape was placed along the anterior wall of the inferior vena cava for left liver with caudate lobe, and along Arantius' ligament for left liver without caudate lobe. The final step of liver transection was applied by dividing the liver parenchyma under tape guidance. This procedure contributed to safe and accurate anatomic procurement of left liver grafts in living donor hepatectomy.     

活体亲属肾移植手术的17例报告

目的总结活体亲属肾移植的临床经验。方法对供、受者进行全面的免疫学检查，对供者行IVU检查了解分侧肾功能，行DSA或MRA、螺旋CT血管三维成像检查了解血管的变异情况之后，开放式手术摘取供肾13例，经后腹腔镜活体供肾摘取4例，按常规方法移植给受者。免疫抑制方案为环孢素A（或FK506）、霉酚酸酯（或硫唑嘌呤、雷帕鸣）、强的松三联免疫抑制剂。结果13例开放式手术时间1．5～3．0h，平均2．0h；热缺血时间1．0～1．5min，平均1．2min；术中出血量60～200ml，平均140ml，术中及术后均未输血；术后住院7～10d，平均8d。4例后腹腔镜手术时间3．0～4．5h，平均3．5h；热缺血时间2．5～3．5min，平均2．8min；术中出血量60～100ml，平均75ml，术中及术后均未输血；术后3～5d出院。移植肾血液循环恢复后10～40s泌尿，平均20s。1例受者术后45d发生轻微的急性排斥反应，应用激素冲击3d后逆转，其余受者均无并发症。随访4～60个月，人／肾存活率为100％，移植肾功能良好。结论活体亲属肾移植安全可行，取左肾尽量靠近腹主动脉壁切断肾动脉，取右肾切取少许下腔静脉片。     

不同干预因素对供皮区愈合的影响

目的试图按循证医学的原则去探讨较厚供皮区的较好覆盖方法,以提高患者的生活质量。方法①不同生物敷料覆盖供皮区的观察:采用随机区组设计方法,将8例患者16鼓皮供区分为8个区组,每组4个创面。观察区分别行"L"、"Z-S"、"Z-Y"、"Z-J"覆盖。②复合皮与凡士林油纱覆盖供皮区的对比观察:选取后躯作供皮区,取皮厚度0.6mm,共23例,将1鼓供区创面一分为二,共46处创面,形成23个对子,随机选取1组应用"F"覆盖,对照区单用"L"。③皮下注液对取皮厚度的影响:当同时切取2鼓时,1鼓注液另一鼓不注液;当切取1鼓时,其中1/2注液,另1/2不注液。皮下注液完成后,同一医师用同一皮鼓切取同厚皮肤(0.6mm)。取皮结束时供皮区均应用凡士林油纱覆盖。用活检器分别取自游离皮肤组织注液区和非注液区各一块,置体积分数10%的中性缓冲甲醛中固定。结果从愈合天数上观察不同覆盖物中以"Z-S"组愈合最快,其次是"L"组,自愈最慢的是"Z-Y"组。"Z-J"组供区愈合后外观瘢痕增生程度及患者自诉瘙痒、疼痛程度明显减轻。"F"组瘢痕增生程度及患者自诉瘙痒疼痛程度最轻,外观接近正常皮肤;取皮前皮下注液后使得皮肤线向外推移,较少或不伤及网状深层,便于取得较薄的中厚皮,从而有利于供皮区愈合。结论对于中厚或厚中厚供皮区如条件允许采用脱细胞异体真皮加自体刃厚皮所形成的复合皮移植效果最好,桀亚敷料皮加自体微粒皮或生物敷料A加自体微粒皮进行供皮区覆盖、皮下注液后取皮等方法均有助于提高供皮区愈合质量。     

Selective Use of Older Adults in Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Many centers are reluctant to use older donors (>44 years) for adult right-lobe living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) due to concerns about possible increased morbidity in donors and poorer outcomes in recipients. Since 2000, 130 adult RLDLTs have been performed at our institution. Recipients were divided into those who received a right lobe graft from a donor ≤age 44 (n = 89, 68%; median age 30) and those who received a liver graft from a donor age >44 (n = 41, 32%; mean age 52). The two donor and recipient populations had similar demographic and operative profiles. With a median follow-up of 29 months, the severity and number of complications in older donors were similar to those in younger donors. No living donor died. Older donor allografts had initial allograft dysfunction compared to younger donors. Complication rates were similar among recipients in both groups but there was a higher bile duct stricture rate with older donor grafts (27% vs. 12%; p = 0.04). One-year recipient graft survival was 86% for older donors and 85% for younger donors (p = 0.95). Early experience with the use of selected older adults (>44 years) for RLDLT is encouraging, but may be associated with a higher rate of biliary complications in the recipient.     

Diffuse Parenchymal Urine Leak After Kidney Transplantation Following Degloving Injury During Donor Nephrectomy

Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy can result in trauma to the kidney which may affect recipient graft function. In this case, the kidney sustained a complete degloving of the capsule during extraction. The kidney was transplanted and had immediate, good renal function, but postoperative course was complicated by a large urinoma that drained through the wound. Exploration was negative for a defined urine leak, but the surface of the denuded kidney was leaking a significant amount of unconcentrated urine. The patient was successfully treated with tissue glue treatment to the kidney surface and peritoneal window.     

Does mini‐incision donor nephrectomy improve quality of life in living kidney donors?

BACKGROUND: Living kidney donation helps to avoid or reduce the time period of dialysis and on waiting lists in patients requiring a new organ. Mini-incision donor nephrectomy (MIDN) shows to result in better clinical outcome in comparison with traditional open donor nephrectomy (ODN). This study was performed to evaluate the impact of different surgical procedures on the quality of life (QoL) in patients that underwent donor nephrectomy. METHODS: The aim of the study was to detect differences in QoL assessed with the Short Form-36 Version 2 (SF-36v2) questionnaire between MIDN (n = 34) and ODN (n = 36). Furthermore, the development of QoL from prior to surgery until one yr afterwards, as well as outcomes of QoL in comparison with norm-based scores was investigated. RESULTS: Sixty-one of 70 patients, which is 87% (MIDN: 86%, ODN: 88%) resent a whole set questionnaires. QoL was similar at all time-points (prior to surgery, one wk, three months and one yr) in both groups. A tendency of better QoL in MIDN (Bodily Pain) after one wk was detectable (p = 0.075). Physical Component Summaries (PCS) significantly decreased from prior to surgery until one wk after surgery (p = 0.001) and improved significantly until three months (MIDN: p = 0.006, ODN: p = 0.001) and also until one yr after surgery (p = 0.002). Mental Component Summaries (MCS) were stable throughout the whole investigated time period. In comparison with norm-based scores, MIDN (p = 0.005) and ODN (p = 0.001) showed significantly higher PCS prior to, lower scores one wk after (p = 0.001), similar scores three months after and better scores (MIDN: p = 0.023, ODN: 0.015) one yr after surgery. Mental Component Scores were similar in both prior to and one wk after surgery. After three months and one yr scores were significantly better in MIDN (three months: p = 0.049, one yr: p = 0.037) and ODN (three months: 0.020, one yr: 0.073). CONCLUSION: Quality of life after living donor nephrectomy is not influenced by the surgical technique. Nevertheless the standardized instrument of the SF-36v2 Health Survey is a useful, practicable and universally interpretable tool to gain and estimate recovery from surgical procedures in the perioperative period and its development thereafter.