Background: Bilateral nephrectomy of potential kidney graft recipients is indicated for patients with recurrent infections in the polycystic kidneys or chronic pyelonephritis resulting from vesicoureteric reflux. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of complications after simultaneous bilateral transperitoneal nephrectomy.
Patients and methods: Twenty hemodialysis patients (age 28 to 55 years) were referred for simultaneous bilateral nephrectomy between 1996 and 2004. Among the 18 patients with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease, 11 experienced recurrent cysts or urinary tract infections and two, episodes of disabling flank pain. Five patients with extremely enlarged kidneys were asymptomatic. Two patients presented vesicoureteric reflux with chronic pyelonephritis. In all cases the kidneys were removed transperitoneally via a transverse or midline incision.
Results: Although no fatal outcome was recorded, three patients required brief hospitalizations in the intensive care unit. The only intraoperative complication was spleen injury in five patients. Surgical postoperative complications developed in nine patients (45%) including: extended drainage and delayed wound healing (n = 4), postoperative hernia (n = 3), prolonged abdominal pain (n = 3), perihepatic hematoma (n = 2), stress duodenal ulceration (n = 1), and subileus (n = 1). Five patients displayed thrombosis of their dialysis access, probably as a consequence of low blood pressure. After surgery 15 patients were placed on the waiting list and 10, successfully transplanted.
Conclusion: Simultaneous transabdominal bilateral nephrectomy was associated with a high risk of postoperative complications, but may save the suffering associated with a repeated operation in potential kidney graft recipients who have an indication for bilateral nephrectomy.