Retrograde endoscopic-assisted percutaneous treatment of transplanted kidney calyceal fistula

Abstract

Introduction. Calyceal fistula is a rare complication of a renal transplantation. This complication can lead to postoperative graft failure. The treatment approaches range from a partial nephrectomy to a routine nephrostomy.Objective. To present the successful application of the retrograde endoscopic-assisted percutaneous treatment of transplanted kidney calyceal fistula.Clinical case. A patient after kidney allotransplantation is under our care. Control postoperative ultrasound examination revealed a pararenal fluid mass in the left iliac region. Its percutaneous drainage was performed. Biochemical analysis revealed high levels of creatinine and urea in the drainage discharge. Despite ureteral stent and urethral catheter drainage, about 500 to 600 ml of urine per day was excreted by the drainage. Percutaneous puncture nephrostomy could not be performed due to the absence of dilatation of the renal cavity system. In the lithotomic position, the damaged calyx was identified by performing flexible ureteropyeloscopy. Then we percutaneously targeted the injured calyx and the distal end of the ureteroscope inserted transurethrally, so that the needle tip appeared in the paranephral cavity opposite the injured calyx. Under the control of a flexible ureteroscope the needle was inserted into the kidney pelvis, a nephrostomy tube 12 Ch was placed along the string. The discharge through the drain stopped within a week and it was removed. Follow-up examination nine weeks after surgery revealed that the patient had no complaints and renal ultrasound showed no features, so the nephrostomy tube was removed.Conclusion. The described method is the minimally invasive, affordable, and efficient method for the treatment of transplanted kidney calyceal fistula.

Keywords

• kidney transplantation
• calyx
• calyceal fistula
• complication
• endoscopy
• flexible ureteroscopy