Objectives: To analyze surgical complications in kidney transplantation and their influence
on graft survival.
Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was made of the early and late surgical
complications occurring in 216 consecutive kidney transplants performed at our institution
and their influence on graf tsurvival.
Results: At least one surgical complication occurred in 82(38%)of the 216 transplantations,
and 68(31%)required some type of repeat surgery,23 in the early post operative period and
45 more than 3 months after surgery. Mean follow–up was 48 months(SD þ/ 33.4), and
median follow–up 48 months(range,0–166months).
No recipient or donor factor spredisposing to surgical complications were found.
Graft survival was significantly shorter in patients with surgical complications [3-and
5-year survival rates of 86%(95%CI83%–89%)and 78%(95%CI73%–82%)as compared to
92% (95%CI90%–94%)and 88%(95%CI85%–91%),p:0.004].Early repeat surgery, venous thrombosis, and wound infection were among the complications having an independent
influence on graft survival.
A multivariate analysis of graft survival in the whole groups howed early repeat surgery
to bea factor with an independent prognostic value (OR:4.7;95%CI2.2–10,po0.0001).
Delayed function and donor age older than 60 years were the other independent influential
factors.
Conclusion: Surgical complications have an influence on graft survival.Then eed for early
repeat surgery, delayed function, and donor age older than 60 years are independent
predictors of graft survival
