Donor kidney lithiasis and back-table endoscopy: a successful combination.

INTRODUCTION: Urolithiasis in renal allografts is relatively rare with an incidence of 0.17-4.40%. It is nonetheless an important issue, as there is a risk of obstruction, sepsis and even loss of the renal allograft. The management of stones in renal allografts remains challenging because of the anatomy, the renal denervation and the use of immunosuppressive medication. CASE PRESENTATION: This report discusses the ex-vivo treatment of asymptomatic nephrolithiasis in a living donor kidney allograft. A CT abdomen revealed a lower pole stone (5.9 × 5.5 × 5.0 mm; 920 HU) in the right kidney of the potential donor. After multidisciplinary discussion, it was decided to procure the right kidney despite the presence of a documented nephrolithiasis. After discussion with both donor and recipient, an ex-vivo flexible ureterorenoscopy for stone removal on the back table just before implantation of the allograft was planned. The stone was found in the lower pole covered by a thin film of the urothelium. The thin film of urothelium was opened with a laser and the stone fragments were retrieved with a basket. CT after one month showed no residual stones in the transplanted kidney. CONCLUSION: Back-table endoscopy in a renal allograft is a feasible technique and should be discussed as an option in case of urolithiasis in a kidney that is considered for transplantation. Furthermore, the appropriate treatment of donor kidney lithiasis is another, although rare, method to expand the living donor renal allograft pool.

Management of deceased and living kidney donor with lithiasis: a multicenter retrospective study on behalf of the renal transplant group of the Spanish urological association.

BACKGROUND: To maximize the availability of suitable grafts and ensure effective management, several reports have demonstrated successful outcomes when using kidney grafts with urolithiasis. This multicenter study reports on the management and long-term outcomes of kidney transplantation using renal grafts with lithiasis. METHODS: Retrospective data from three Spanish hospitals were analyzed for kidney transplants involving grafts with nephrolithiasis performed between December 2009 and August 2023. The study included adult patients, excluding those with incomplete records. It evaluated stone characteristics, complications, and outcomes in recipients and in living kidney donors. RESULTS: Out of 38 analyzed kidney transplants, 57.9% were cadaveric and 42.1% were from living kidney donors. Most diagnoses were incidental during donor evaluation, with an average stone size of 7.06 mm. After follow-up (median 26 months), all recipients but one had functioning grafts, and there were no stone recurrences in both recipients and living kidney donors. Conservative management was adopted in 28 cases, while 10 cases required ex-vivo flexible ureterorenoscopy for stone removal. Following conservative management, 5 patients needed additional treatments for stone-related events. CONCLUSIONS: Kidneys with lithiasis can be considered for transplantation in selected cases, resulting in good functional outcomes with no stone recurrence in recipients or living donors.