Venous reconstruction using a Y‐shaped saphenous vein in kidney transplantation: A report of three cases

Abstract

Introduction Transplantation, especially, of the right kidney may be difficult to properly choose the main drainage vein due to abundance of renal veins with the thin wall and the small diameter. Therefore, we report three cases, wherein anastomosis‐related complications may be avoided by using a reconstructed Y‐shaped major saphenous vein graft. Case presentation The first case was a case of congestion when anastomosed with a trifurcated renal vein which ligated branch. The second case was a case of donated kidney with three renal veins, which were all short, small, and thin‐walled. The third case was a case of donated kidney with four renal veins. Two of them were unused, though the other two veins were short and thin‐walled with equal diameters. In all of three cases, renal veins were anastomosed with Y‐shaped saphenous vein graft. Conclusion Y‐shaped saphenous vein graft is possibly effective for such reconstructions as it may prevent anastomosis‐related complications.

Keywords

• kidney transplantation
• living donor
• major saphenous vein
• vascular reconstruction
• Y‐shaped reconstruction