Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: initial results from a center in Greece.

AIM: The outcome of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) in type 1 diabetes has dramatically improved in recent years. We report the initial results of our SPK program. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2008 to 2010, we performed and prospectively obtained data on 4 SPKs in 4 type 1 diabetic patients with chronic renal failure. The recipients were 3 men and 1 woman, of overall mean age of 40.75 ± 4.78 years, mean time from diabetes diagnosis of 27 ± 15 years, and time on dialysis of 3.5 ± 0.57 years. All grafts were procured from multiorgan brain-dead donors of mean age 26 ± 8.16 years and mean body weight of 74 ± 4.34 kg. The pancreatic grafts were transplanted first into the right iliac fossa with mean cold ischemia times of 10.62 ± 3.09 hours for the pancreatic and 14.00 ± 2.97 hours for the renal grafts. Pancreas arterial inflow was re-established by an end-to-side anastomosis of an extension Y-graft to the recipient right iliac artery. The portal vein was sutured to the iliac vein directly. The exocrine secretions of the pancreas were managed by duodenojejunostomy extraperitoneally (n = 3) or intraperitoneally (n = 1). The ureteral anastomosis was performed using the Taguchi technique. RESULTS: After SPK, endocrine pancreatic function was immediately restored in all patients. Insulin administration was stopped within the first 24 hours after surgery. Two patients displayed delayed renal graft function necessitating dialysis for 9 and 23 days, respectively. The postoperative course was prolonged with a mean hospital stay of 82 ± 1 day. At a 31.75 ± 9.03 months follow up all patients are alive with functioning grafts. CONCLUSION: Our experience with SPK, although limited, has shown encouraging results over a short follow-up period.

Prevalence and clinical impact of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in renal transplantation: ten years of experience in a single center.

INTRODUCTION: Renal transplantation is regarded as the optimal treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite significant improvements in surgical techniques and immunosuppressive therapy, long-term graft survival has not markedly increased over the years, due in part to the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and September 2011, we performed 592 kidney transplantations (214 living and 378 cadaveric donors). All patients received induction therapy with interleukin (IL)-2 monoclonal antibodies or antithymoglobulin (ATG) combined with calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate mofetil, or mTOR antagonists and steroids. All CMV-seronegative patients and all subjects receiving ATG induction were prescribed prophylactic therapy with ganciclovir-intravenous (IV) for 15 days 2.5 mg/kg BW bid and thereafter oral valgancyclovir once a day. CMV infection was diagnosed using a CMV-PVR of ≥ 600 copies. We analyzed the time to manifestations of CMV infection, or positive CMV-PCR, patient and graft survival, serum creatinine (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) values before and after CMV infection, as well as type of immunosuppression therapy. RESULTS: The overall incidences of CMV infection and CMV disease were 76/592 (12.8%) and 23/592 (3.9%), respectively. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) times to positive CMV-PCR and CMV disease were 16.66 ± 23.38 months and 106 ± 61.2 (range, 28-215) days, respectively. Mortality was 1% (6/592) among our whole population, 7.9% (6/76) for CMV-infected, and 26% (6/23) in the CMV disease cohort. Cr and BUN showed no significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: CMV infection and CMV disease comprise significant clinical problems, increasing morbidity and mortality. The use of prophylactic anti-CMV treatment is of paramount importance.

Infections related to renal transplantation requiring intensive care admission: a 20-year study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate infection complications as the reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admission among transplant recipients. METHODS: We studied all renal transplant recipients with infectious complications admitted to our ICU from 1992 to 2012:44.3% of all renal transplant recipients admitted to ICU. The epidemiology and prognosis of infectious complications requiring ICU admission were evaluated with analysis of mortality factors. RESULTS: The 22 men and 5 women included in this study showed a mean age of 42.7 ± 12.3 years. The Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Seguential Organ Failure Assessment scores on ICU admission were 20 ± 4.6 and 8.6 ± 3.9, respectively. The main infections complications requiring ICU admission were cytomegalovirus pneumonia (n = 15) and aspergillus pneumonia (n = 4). Sixteen patients required hemodialysis and 14, catecholamine support upon ICU admission owing to septic shock. The mortality rate among study patients was 62.9%, versus 26.5% for noninfectious renal transplant recipients requiring ICU admissions. Catecholamine support at ICU admission was independently related to mortality. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate of renal transplant recipients admitted to ICU owing infection complications was higher than that of noninfected renal transplant patients. These data suggest that infections and septic shock in renal transplant recipients requiring ICU admission worsen their outcome significantly.

Hepatic artery thrombosis after orthotopic liver transplantation: 3 patients with collateral formation and conservative treatment.

Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), a serious complication after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), can lead to patient death in the absence of revascularization or retransplantation. Herein we have presented clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and long-term outcomes of 3 OLT patients with HAT who were treated conservatively and developed hepatic arterial collaterals. These patients underwent transplantation due to hepatitis B cirrhosis, cryptogenic cirrhosis, or hepatitis C infection and alcoholic disease. They presented with bile duct stenosis and/or a bile leak at 1, 3, and 36 months after transplantation, respectively, and were treated with percutaneous drainage and stent placement, endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP), or reanastomosis of the bile duct over a T tube. HAT was confirmed using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) 3-dimensional (3D) angiography and Doppler sonography. They survive in good condition with normal liver function at 30, 50, and 42 months after OLT, respectively. Development of collateral arterial circulation to the liver graft was detected with MDCT 3D angiography and Doppler sonography. From our experience with 3 patients and a literature review, we believe that there are a number of patients who experience long-term survival after the diagnosis of irreversible HAT and the development of collaterals. Although this group is at high risk for sepsis and biliary complications, these are usually self-limiting complications due to improved treatment regimens. The development of collateral arterial flow may also be beneficial.

Tc-99m sestamibi accuracy in detecting parathyroid tissue is increased when combined with preoperative laboratory values: a retrospective study in 453 Greek patients with chronic renal failure who underwent parathyroidectomy.

PURPOSE: Technetium(99m) sestamibi (MIBI) has poor sensitivity and specificity when applied to patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. We investigated whether the combination of MIBI with preoperative parameters increased its accuracy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study of 453 consecutive patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy (bilateral neck exploration) included preoperative MIBI scintigraphy compared with intraoperative and histopathology findings. Four patient groups were comprised according to the results: true positivity (TP), true negativity (TN), false positivity (FP), and false negativity (FN). RESULTS: MIBI scintigraphy sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 66.4%, 50%, 76.3%, and 37.9%, respectively. For the TP group, mean age and mean parathormone (PTH) value were 56 years and 754, respectively. The binary logistic regression for the prediction (1) or not (2) of TP was as follows: 0.138 + (-.011) * age + 0.001 * PTH (P = .012). For the TN group, the mean age and mean phosphate value were 49 years and 5.24, respectively. The binary logistic regression for the prediction (1) versus not (2) of the TN was as follows: -1.463 + age * (-.029) + phosphate * 0.233 (P = .012). CONCLUSION: MIBI accuracy in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism was increased when combined with other preoperative parameters. The sensitivity was increased as patients were older and the PTH levels were lower. The specificity was increased as patients were younger and the phosphate levels were lower.

Combined treatment of hypercholesterolemia of renal transplant allograft recipients with fluvastatin and gemfibrozil.

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of combined treatment with fluvastatin (F) and gemfibrozil (G) in hypercholesterolemic renal transplant recipients (RTR). Ten hypercholesterolemic (total cholesterol [TC] > 220 mg/dl) RTR (7 men) with mean age 44 years (range 25-56 years) who remained hypercholesterolemic after 3 months of treatment (period A) with fluvastatin (40 mg/d) continued taking the same dose of F plus G (600 mg/dl) for another 3-month period (B). Serum total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, serum creatinine (creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) were measured before treatment and at the end of periods A and B. Mean TC levels were 360.30 +/- 62.42 mg/dl, 324.10 +/- 100.53 mg/dl, 270.80 +/- 67.77 mg/dl; mean LDL-C levels were 259.33 +/- 71.43 mg/dl, 219.60 +/- 81.31 mg/dl, 189.70 +/- 65.51 mg/dl; mean HDL-C levels were 37.10 +/- 11.68 mg/dl, 39.80 +/- 13.21 mg/dl, 41.00 +/- 12.94 mg/dl; mean triglyceride levels were 354.60 +/- 183.29 mg/dl, 349.30 +/- 242.94 mg/dl, 207.00 +/- 85.35 mg/dl before treatment and at the end of periods A and B, respectively. There was a statistically significant fall of serum TC (P = 0.002), LDL-C (P = 0.016), and triglyceride (P = 0.029) levels at the end of periods A and B. Kidney and liver function did not change. F and G combined treatment is safe and useful in patients who do not respond satisfactorily to monotherapy with F. Gemfibrozil augments the effect of F on TC, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels.

Prosthetic mesh repair of multiple recurrent and large abdominal hernias in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find out whether prosthetic mesh repair of recurrent and large abdominal hernias in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients is effective in maintaining them on CAPD. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of case notes over a period of 5 years. SETTING: Single renal unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Forty-six of 217 CAPD patients (16%) had their hernias repaired. Among them, 5 women in whom hemodialysis was not possible had multiple or large hernias repaired with polypropylene (PP) mesh. RESULTS: Radical repair was achieved by a modified operation consisting of a conventional hernioplasty complemented by a supporting prostetic overlay mesh, without discontinuation of CAPD. The patients continued CAPD for a mean period of 17.6 months without hernia recurrence. Two patients died in the twelfth and fifteenth post-operative month due to cardiac arrest and hepatic failure, respectively, and the remaining 3 are alive and have been doing well on CAPD for 13, 14, and 21 months. CONCLUSIONS: Prosthetic mesh repair of large recurrent hernias in CAPD patients with vascular access problems seems to be a valuable method to maintain them on this renal replacement therapy.

Large parathyroid functioning carcinoma (1,200 g) presenting as a substernal goiter.

Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare tumor responsible for 0.5-5% of primary hyperparathyroidism. It is usually small (not more than 27 g) and the precise diagnosis of malignancy is made when local or distant metastases are found. We describe a case of a 37 yr old male presenting with a substernal goiter and no specific symptoms except hypertension. This mass had cysts and calcifications and it was in the anterior upper mediastinum. The patient had severe hypercalcemia (Ca greater than 14 mg/dl), high PTH levels and mild renal failure. Bone scanning showed signs of hyperparathyroidism. The patient was subjected to total thyroidectomy and removal of the mass en block. The tumor was circumscribed lobulated and mostly cystic. It weighed 1,200 g (380 g after evacuation of cysts) and measured 12 x 9 x 4.5 cm. Histologic examination showed a highly differentiated adenocarcinoma of parathyroid with metastasis in a regional lymph node. Almost 4 years later the patient is alive and well without hypercalcemia and without evidence of distant metastases.