Treatment of Post-transplant Lymphocele in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To review our single-center experience in managing posttransplant lymphoceles in pediatric kidney recipients. Lymphoceles are well-known complications after pediatric kidney transplantation (KT). However, there is no standard treatment for lymphoceles, and the literature lacks consensus on which is the most appropriate approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed our retrospective institutional database for recipients of pediatric KT performed between January 2000 and December 2015 who developed lymphoceles. RESULTS: Out of the 176 patients who underwent KT, lymphoceles occurred in 9 (5.1%) patients. The mean age of recipients in this group was 12.8 years (standard deviation [SD] 4.8) (r: 1-17) and the mean body weight was 43.1 kg (SD 18.8) (r: 9.5-69). Mean lymphocele onset was 32.2 days (SD 23.4) (r: 11-85) post transplantation. Six patients presented with increased serum creatinine from the baseline, whereas 3 patients remained asymptomatic. Ultrasound was the primary diagnostic procedure in all patients. Lymphoceles resolved spontaneously in asymptomatic patients (n = 3), and thus these patients were not further treated. All symptomatic patients (n = 6) were treated: 2 underwent percutaneous catheter drainage and 4 underwent transcatheter sclerotherapy (TS). The main sclerosing agent used was povidone-iodine. In 3 patients, TS with povidone-iodine failed, and they underwent additional procedures: 2 underwent TS with polidocanol and 1 underwent open drainage. There was no graft loss in any of the patients, and no recurrence was documented during a follow-up period of mean 30.3 months (SD 15.6) (r: 7-57). CONCLUSION: There is no gold-standard treatment for lymphoceles in children, and reports in the literature on the topic are scarce. Percutaneous catheter drainage with or without TS is safe and effective, although it can lengthen hospitalization and increase morbidity.

REPEATED INTRANODAL LYMPHANGIOGRAPHY FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHATIC LEAKAGE.

Treatment of patients with chylous or non-chylous lymphatic leakage can be difficult. An approach using therapeutic lymphangiography can reduce the lymphatic leakage, but it seldom stops the leakage immediately and subsequent conservative treatment is necessary. We report three cases in which intranodal lymphangiography was performed multiple times to inhibit lymphatic leakage. In each case, the lymph node was punctured under ultrasound guidance using a 23-gauge needle and lipiodol was injected manually at a rate of 1 ml/3 min. The procedure was repeated twice in two cases of gastrointestinal carcinoma and four times in one case of lymphoma. In all three cases, the postoperative lymphatic leakage stopped after the repeated intranodal lymphangiography.

Complications of lymphadenectomy in urologic surgery.

Lymphadenectomy in urologic surgery provides accurate staging and may be therapeutic in some patients with lymph node metastases. In addition to the associated cost, pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) has the potential for morbidity. This article focuses on the complications associated with PLND, including lymphocele, thromboembolic events, ureteral injury, nerve injury, vascular injury, and lymphedema. With improvements in surgical technique and perioperative care, the morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy may be minimized.

Complications of pelvic lymph node dissection for prostate cancer.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) represents the standard for detection of occult pelvic nodal metastases from prostate cancer, and may be performed separately from or at the time of radical prostatectomy. In addition to its potential for diagnostic staging, a PLND may be therapeutic in some patients. However, considerable debate centers on the appropriate candidates for the procedure, the extent and proper boundaries of dissection, optimal surgical approach, and absolute oncologic benefit. Several series suggest that there likely is limited benefit of PLND in low-risk patients and that PLND can be safely omitted in a high percentage of men undergoing contemporary radical prostatectomy. Furthermore, the value of PLND in patients with intermediate- and high-risk disease must be balanced against the potential morbidity of the procedure. In the setting of this debate, concern over morbidity directly attributable to this procedure is of paramount importance. This review focuses on the complications associated with PLND, including lymphocele, thromboembolic events, ureteral injury, nerve injury, vascular injury, and lymphedema.

Retroperitoneal lymphatic cyst formation after anterior lumbar interbody fusion: a report of 3 cases.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: A retroperitoneal lymphocele is a very rare complication associated with anterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: We report the diagnosis and management of 3 retroperitoneal lymphoceles, which occurred after anterior left retroperitoneal approaches for lumbar interbody fusion. METHODS: As the radiologic examinations revealed the lymphoceles in all 3 cases laparoscopic fenestration was performed. RESULTS: The patients had good recovery and no recurrence of the lymphoceles occurred. CONCLUSIONS: If this rare complication occurs the primary intervention should be laparoscopic fenestration because of the high recurrence rate of other treatment modalities.

Lymphocele after kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: One of the most often occurring complications after a kidney transplantation is a lymphocele. MATERIALS: The examined group consisted of 118 patients (70 males and 48 females) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). RESULTS: Fourteen patients (12%) developed symptoms of lymphocele within an average time of 34 weeks. The clinical symptoms included the following: decreased 24-hour urine collection and increased creatinine level, abdominal discomfort, lymphorrhoea with surgical wound dehiscence, urgency, vesical tenesmus, and/or fever. Increased appearance of lymphocele was noticed in patients with diabetic nephropathy, congenital malformations of the urinary tract, and inflammatory diseases, including glomerulopathy and extraglomerular ones, after high-voltage radiotherapy and after removal of the renal graft. The methods of treatment and their efficacy were as follows: percutaneous aspiration with the ratio of recurrence 100%; ultrasound guided percutaneous drainage 50%; laparoscopic intraabdominal marsupialization 75%; and surgical intervention with favorable results. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage with a success rate greater than 50% should be recommended as the first line of treatment. As a minimal invasive surgery this kind of treatment does not interfere with subsequent internal drainage through an open or a laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopy, a feasible, safe technique with a success rate of more than 80%, should be used routinely after unsuccessful percutaneous drainage.

Lymphorrhea responds to negative pressure wound therapy.

Lymphoceles and lymph fistulas are common complications of femoral exposure for vascular procedures. Three patients who required readmission after their vascular interventions were treated with negative pressure wound therapy. Once adequate control of the drainage was obtained, the patients were discharged home with a portable suction unit. The mean time to stop lymph leak was 14 days, and the mean length of hospital stay was 7.3 days. This method of management offers early control of fluid drainage, rapid control of the wound, earlier closure, and the potential for reduced length of stay. Patient acceptance and convenience may be enhanced by outpatient management and return to work in appropriately motivated individuals.

Doppler evaluation of external iliac vein hemodynamic changes caused by lymphocele after lymphadenectomy for cervical cancer.

PURPOSE: To use Doppler sonography to assess the hemodynamic changes in the external iliac vein (EIV) compressed by a pelvic lymphocele after pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with cervical cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Postoperative gray-scale and Doppler sonographic examinations were performed in 71 women after pelvic lymphadenectomy. Twenty healthy women served as controls. When present, the lymphocele was graded on a scale of 1 to 4 based on the percentage of the circumference of iliac vessels in contact with the lymphocele (ie, circumferential contiguity) (grade 1, 0-24%; grade 2, 25-49%; grade 3, 50-74%; grade 4, 75-100%), and in 3 groups according to its maximum diameter (group A, 1-40 mm; group B, 41-60 mm; group C, >60 mm). EIV velocity was measured, and waveform modulation by respiratory movements was analyzed. RESULTS: There were 40 lymphoceles in 22 patients. The mean (+/-SD) EIV velocity was 24.5 +/- 14.8 cm/s in the control group, 38.2 +/- 5.9 cm/s in group 1, 69.2 +/- 29.4 cm/s in group 2, 105.75 +/- 12.36 cm/s in group 3, and 139.5 +/- 33.79 cm/s in group 4. Spontaneous EIV blood flow could not be detected in 2 cases in the later group. EIV flow modulation was significantly lower in patients with greater lymphocele contiguity or diameter. CONCLUSIONS: Post-pelvic lymphadenectomy causes EIV extrinsic compression that results in upstream blood stasis, potentially increasing the risk for deep vein thrombosis.

Treatment of recurrent inguinal lymphocele by lymphatic leakage mapping and subsequent ligation of lymphatic vessel endings: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Different approaches have been attempted in both prophylaxis and treatment of recurrent inguinal lymphoceles; however, to date none have been consistently effective. We hereby report our preliminary experience with mapping of the lymphatic leakage followed by ligation of these mapped vessels for resolution of a recurrent inguinal lymphocele. CASE: A 73-year-old woman underwent an anterior modified radical vulvectomy with bilateral inguinofemoral lymph node dissection due to squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva. Postoperatively she presented with a recurrent inguinal lymphocele unresponsive to several treatment measures. After 8 weeks, the patient underwent lymphatic leakage mapping and subsequent ligation of lymphatic vessel endings, which resolved her recurrent lymphocele. CONCLUSION: Lymphatic mapping and ligation of afferent lymphatics may be a useful method for treating recurrent lymphoceles after inguinofemoral lymph node dissection. Further studies are warranted to prove the absolute efficacy of this technique.

[Axillary lymphoceles after breast cancer surgery. Pathogeny, prevention]. / Lymphocèles axillaires après chirurgie mammaire cancérologique. Pathogénie, prévention.

We report a retrospective series of 126 patients seen in 1992 for conservative surgery (group T) or Patey procedure (group P) for breast cancer. We looked for factors predictive of axillary lymphocele and their prevention. Axillary lymphadenectomy performed in patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer leads to a certain degree of morbidity including the development of lymphoceles. The mean number of lymph nodes removed was 16 in group T and 19 in group P. Mean lymphorrhea was 741 cm3. Two factors were significantly implicated in the pathogenesis of postoperative lymphorrhea : the number of nodes resected (p < 0.005) and obesity (p < 0.001). Prevention of lymphoceles requires meticulous lymphostasis and reduction of the surgical detachment spaces.

Post-transplant lymphoceles: a critical look into the risk factors, pathophysiology and management.

To define better the prevalence and pathophysiology of lymphoceles following renal transplantation, we prospectively evaluated 118 consecutive renal transplants performed in 115 patients (96 cadaveric, 22 living-related, 7 secondary and 111 primary). Ultrasonography was performed post-operatively and during rehospitalizations or whenever complications occurred. Perirenal fluid collections were identified in 43 patients (36%). Lymphoceles with a diameter of 5 cm. or greater were identified in 26 of 118 cases (22%). Eight patients (6.8%) had symptomatic lymphoceles requiring therapy. The interval for development of symptomatic lymphoceles was 1 week to 3.7 years (median 10 months). Risk factors for the development of lymphoceles were examined by univariate and multivariate analysis, and included patient age, sex, source of transplants (cadaver versus living-related donor), retransplantation, tissue match (HLA-B/DR), type of preservation, arterial anastomosis, occurrence of acute tubular necrosis-delayed graft function, occurrence of rejection, and use of high dose corticosteroids. Univariate analysis showed a significant risk for the development of lymphoceles in transplants with acute tubular necrosis-delayed graft function (odds ratio 4.5, p = 0.004), rejection (odds ratio 25.1 p < 0.001) and high dose steroids (odds ratio 16.4, p < 0.001). When applying multivariate analyses using stepwise logistic regression, only rejection was associated with a significant risk for lymphoceles (symptomatic lymphoceles--odds ratio 25.08, p = 0.0003, all lymphoceles--odds ratio 75.24, p < 0.0001). When adjusting for rejection, no other risk factor came close to being significant (least p = 0.4). Therapy included laparoscopic peritoneal marsupialization and drainage in 1 patient, incisional peritoneal drainage in 4 and percutaneous external drainage in 3 (infected). All symptomatic lymphoceles were successfully treated without sequelae to grafts or patients. We conclude that allograft rejection is the most significant factor contributing to the development of lymphoceles. Therapy of symptomatic lymphoceles should be individualized according to the presence or absence of infection.

Early detection and differentiation of periprosthetic fluid accumulation after vascular reconstructive surgery.

Ultrasonographic duplex scanning is used widely to screen the abdominal arterial system and to detect lesions in the extracranial cerebral arteries. Based on clinical studies of 11,712 vascular reconstructions, this report describes the early recognition of fluid accumulation around vascular prostheses. The clinical examination may suggest the typical complications that arise after vascular surgery such as hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, lymphocele, abscess, or perigraft cyst. Duplex scanning, combined with puncture and aspiration, proved to be of great benefit in differentiating the specific type and extent of the complication. Special attention is paid to the so-called perigraft reaction, thought to be a result of an aseptic biological incompatibility to synthetic vascular grafts. It is emphasized that ultrasonographic routine follow-up after vascular surgery is essential for early diagnosis, especially since each complication suspected requires specific therapeutic treatment to prevent exacerbation because of inadequate treatment.