Long-term prognosis of renal transplant surviving for over 10 yr, and clinical, renal and rehabilitation features of 20-yr successes.

Long-term mortality and morbidity was evaluated in 267 patients with a minimum follow-up of 10 yr and the physical status, graft function and quality of life in 15 patients with a functioning graft surviving for over 20 yr were reviewed. Actual patient and graft survival rates were 80.2% and 51.1% at 10 yr (n = 267) and 56.4% and 32.7% at 20 yr (n = 55), respectively. Although the rate of graft failure due to rejection was 4 times higher than that of patient death within 10 yr, it decreased to the level of patient death in the second decade. Dominant causes of death in patients with graft surviving for over 10 yr were hepatic failure due to viral hepatitis and malignancies. In 15 patients with graft currently surviving beyond 20 yr, while all patients have excellent graft function, malignancy occurred in 5, viral hepatitis in 3, aseptic necrosis in 3, and diabetes mellitus in one patient. No patient has suffered cardiovascular complications. Despite a high rate of morbidity, they show a satisfying status of rehabilitation (full time working 11/ 15, 73.3%). In order to attain more improved QOL in patients with long-term surviving renal transplant, close follow-up aiming at diminution of complications is required throughout the period after transplantation.

New assist method for orthotopic heart transplantation in the dog.

We used cross circulation as an assist method for orthotopic heart transplantation in eight dogs. Seven of the eight dogs could be extubated on the first to third postoperative day and were able to eat and walk several hours after extubation. The survival times and the causes of death in these eight dogs were as follows: 436 days (alive), 5 days (sudden death), 17 days (rejection), 17 days (pyothorax), 3 days (accidental death), 59 days (rejection), 19 days (pneumothorax), and 188 days (alive). None of the dogs died of any problems related to the use of cross circulation. Hematologic and biochemical studies revealed that the CK, CK-MB, LDH, GOT, GPT, and lactate levels increased shortly after the operation and returned to the preoperative values within 14 days. The blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, amylase, hematocrit, and total protein levels remained almost unchanged. No free hemoglobin was detected. These findings indicated that no severe damage occurred to the recipient's organs. The key factors for performing successful cross circulation are as follows: (1) The body weight of the support dog should be at least three times that of the recipient. (2) The systolic pressure of the support dog and the pressure gradient between the support and the recipient should be kept above 150 mm Hg and 50 mm Hg, respectively. (3) The flow rate in the arterial tube should be maintained at between 30% and 50% of the basal cardiac output of the recipient. In conclusion, cross circulation is a suitable assist method for orthotopic heart transplantation in the dog.

[Cross circulation (CC) as an assist method for canine orthotopic cardiac transplantation--estimation of usefulness judging from intra- and postoperative hematological and biochemical examinations].

We employed cross circulation (CC) as an assist method for canine orthotopic cardiac transplantation in 8 dogs to obtain long term survivals. Hematological and biochemical examinations were performed intra- and postoperatively, to estimate usefulness of CC. The support dog weighted about 3 times as much as the recipient dog. Using different anesthesia, the systolic pressure of the support dog and the pressure gradient between the support and recipient were kept above 150 mmHg and 50 mmHg, respectively. Cyclosporin and prednisolone were administered for immunosuppressive therapy. All could be extubated on the 1st to 3rd postoperative day, and 6 survived more than 2 weeks. During the operation under CC, changes of LDH and lactic acid were much less, no free hemoglobin was detected, and total protein and hematocrit remained well compared with operation under heart-lung machines. CRK, CPKMB, GOT and GPT increased shortly after operation, but returned to the preoperative values within 2 weeks. In CC, owing to avoidance from mechanical destruction of red blood cells, coagulation disorders and hemodilution, hemolysis and hemorrhage could be decreased, and oncotic pressure remained well, and no severe damage occurred in the recipient organs. Thus, CC is useful as an assist method for canine orthotopic cardiac transplantation.

Breast cancer arising de novo in recipients of kidney allograft.

Immunosuppressive therapy is not only an etiologic factor of de novo malignant disease but is also accelerates progression of the already developed malignant disease in immunosuppressed recipients. Two cases of de novo breast cancer arising in kidney transplant recipients are reported herein. A 25 year-old woman, transplanted one haploidentical kidney transplant 4 years and 9 months ago, developed a left breast tumor. Within one month the tumor had rapidly enlarged from 3.5 cm to 8 cm in diameter by the time she underwent a radical mastectomy. Nine axillary lymph nodes were positive for metastasis. Although her graft function had been poor due to chronic rejection, she was treated with standard immunosuppressive therapy, but not adjuvant therapy. Since local recurrent disease appeared two months postoperatively, the immunosuppressive therapy was ceased and 60Co therapy started. Recurrent disease progressed rapidly, however, and she died 7 months after her operation. A 27 year-old woman, having allograft from an identical sibling, noted a right breast tumor, 8 years and 7 months later. Again the tumor had grown rapidly from 1.8 cm to 3 cm in diameter within one month. She underwent a standard radical mastectomy. One axillary lymph nodes was positive for metastasis. She has been treated with standard immunosuppressive therapy and adjuvant endocrinochemotherapy. Presently, she is alive with a well functioning graft and no disease.

The successful outcome of second kidney transplantation and its contributing factors.

Fourteen out of 301 patients who underwent allogeneic kidney transplantations, between April, 1970 and December, 1987, received second kidney allografts, including 4 living and 10 cadaveric grafts. The survival of the second grafts transplanted in those 14 recipients was superior to that of the first grafts transplanted in the other 287 recipients. Furthermore, the survival of the second grafts from 4 years onwards was significantly higher than that of the first grafts, in spite of a higher population of cadaveric grafts used in the second transplantation than in the first. Although it was impossible to determine the main factor which induced the improved survival of the second grafts when compared with that of the first, a combination of beneficial factors, such as a high rate of living related transplantation resulting in long-term graft survival of the first transplantation, the administration of immunosuppressive drugs during the period of re-hemodialysis and blood transfusion prior to the second transplantation, was considered to be the reason why successful second graft survival was achieved.

Cyclosporine-associated microangiopathic hemolytic anemia in a renal transplant recipient.

A case of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MHA) associated with the immunosuppressive agent, cyclosporine, is reported herein. The patient manifested anemia with red blood cell fragmentation, hypertension, thrombocytopenia, elevation of serum LDH levels and glomerular capillary thromboses within a few days of his transplantation. Extensive treatments with urokinase and heparin proved ineffective and graftectomy was performed 7 days after his transplantation. Immunofluorescent staining failed to show immunoglobulin (IgG or IgM) or complement (C3) deposition within the glomeruli, which discriminated MHA from acute humoral-vascular rejection.

A case of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for a bleeding duodenal varix.

A case of bleeding duodenal varix which was treated successfully with endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) is reported. The patient developed a hemorrhage from a varix in the descending portion of the duodenum two months after EIS for esophageal varices, and hemostasis was achieved using EIS with an intravericeal injection of 1% polidocanol. The duodenal varix decreased in size after EIS. Two months after EIS, a splenectomy was performed. During a 14-month follow up period after the EIS for the duodenal varix, there was no recurrent bleeding.

Quantitative analysis of microvasculature of rat pancreas transplants in acute rejection.

The changes of the microvasculature of rat pancreas transplants during acute rejection were investigated and quantitatively analyzed. The vessels in pancreas transplants increased in caliber and decreased in density during acute rejection. These changes were marked in the exocrine pancreas, especially in central zones, whereas changes in islets were mild. These results indicate that the early deterioration of exocrine function is closely related to vascular destruction.

The effect of renal transplantation on a major endogenous ligand retained in uremic serum.

The effects of renal transplantation on serum concentrations of 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which are endogenous ligands retained in uremic serum, and on phenytoin binding to serum protein were investigated. IAA, a weakly bound ligand, was rapidly excreted by the transplanted kidney during the first one to three days after renal transplantation, but CMPF, a strongly bound ligand, was slowly excreted. The binding defect of phenytoin was partially corrected by transplantation during the period of study. The results suggested that the prolonged drug binding defect observed despite successful renal transplantation is caused by a slower decrease of strongly bound ligands such as CMPF retained in uremic serum; hypoalbuminemia, usually observed after transplantation, may also contribute to this phenomenon.