Unintended Consequences in Use of Increased Risk Donor Kidneys in the New Kidney Allocation Era.

BACKGROUND: The new kidney allocation system (KAS) intends to allocate the top 20% of kidneys to younger recipients with longer life expectancy. We hypothesized that the new KAS would lead to greater allocation of Public Health Service (PHS) increased-risk donor organs to younger recipients. METHODS: Analyses of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data of patients who underwent primary deceased kidney transplantation were performed in pre- and post-KAS periods. RESULTS: The allocation of PHS increased-risk kidney allografts in various age groups changed significantly after implementation of the new KAS, with an increased proportion of younger individuals receiving increased-risk kidneys (7% vs 10% in age group 20-29 y and 13% vs 18% in age group 30-39 y before and after KAS, respectively; P < .0001). This trend was reversed in recipients 50-59 years old, with 31% in the pre-KAS period compared with 26% after KAS (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The new KAS resulted in a substantial increase in allocation of PHS increased-risk kidneys to candidates in younger age groups. Because increased-risk kidneys are generally underutilized, future efforts to optimize the utilization of these organs should target younger recipients and their providers.

Coloduodenovesical Fistula After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplant: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Complicated diverticulitis after transplantation occurs in as many as 3.5% of cases and carries a 25% mortality rate. Diagnosis of complicated diverticulitis in this population can be challenging because of abnormal presentations caused by immunosuppression. Only 4 cases of fistulization after kidney transplantation are described in the literature; none occurred after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant. METHODS: We present a first case of a coloduodenovesical fistula in a patient 9 years after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant. The patient presented with intermittent episodes of elevated creatinine and recurrent urinary tract infection. The presence of fistula was strongly suspected in cystoscopy, but, despite extensive investigation, a fistula tract could not be identified. RESULTS: The patient ultimately underwent surgical exploration for positive cystoscopy examination, continuation of urinary complaints, and presence of multiple colonic diverticula in computed tomography scan. At surgical exploration, a fistula track was identified between the sigmoid colon and duodenal stump of the pancreas allograft. Subsequently, sigmoidectomy, bladder repair, and enteric conversion of the pancreas transplant were performed. CONCLUSIONS: Complications of diverticulitis should be considered in organ transplant recipients presenting with recurrent urinary infection and elevated creatinine, and surgical exploration might be indicated even if unable to well-define the fistula tract.

Landscape of Kidney Transplantation in Patients With Compensated Liver Disease: Results of a Survey of Transplant Surgeons in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic options that provide the best long-term outcome for patients who have a combination of end-stage renal disease and compensated cirrhosis are unknown. METHODS: Given the paucity of data and the lack of clinical guidance in this area, a national survey was conducted in the form of an e-mail-based questionnaire addressed to the transplantation surgeons registered with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. RESULTS: Of the 818 surgeons invited to participate in the survey, 167 (20%) responded. Twenty-one (12.6%) respondents indicated that their program performed <50 kidney transplantations per year, 49 (29.3%) reported performing 50 to 100 kidney transplantations per year, and the majority, 97 (58.1%) of respondents, performed >100 kidney transplantations per year. The majority, 116 (69.5%), believed that compensated cirrhotic patients with end-stage renal disease could be considered for renal transplantation alone, 45 (26.9%) respondents believed that compensated cirrhotic patients on dialysis could only be considered for simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation, and 6 (3.6%) believed that this population of patients was not suitable for kidney transplantation alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that there is a substantial heterogeneity of opinion among transplantation surgeons towards transplantation options for compensated cirrhotic patients. Further data is needed to define best practices and clinical guidelines.

Successful Robotic Cystogastrostomy after Failed Endoscopic Drainage for Infected Pancreatic Fluid Collection Post Distal Pancreatectomy.

We are presenting the management of an infected pancreatic fluid collection that occurred six months after distal pancreatectomy in the setting of a radical resection for adrenal carcinoma. Progressive increase in size of the cyst and failure of endoscopic drainage represented the surgical indications for cystogastrostomy. The procedure was facilitated by robotic approach with da Vinci Surgical System. Though as per current literature the endoscopic drainage has largely been accepted for this pathology due to its high rate of success and a low rate of complications, in this particular case, surgical drainage by the minimally invasive robotic approach was successful after endoscopic approach has failed.