Abstract:

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the complications after renal transplantation have decreased obviously, but there have been many reports describing lymphatic leakage after transplantation.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cause of lymphatic leakage after renal transplantation.
METHODS: The clinical data of 396 cases of renal transplantation was analyzed. These patients were assigned to two groups according to lymph node swelling around the iliac vessels in transplantation: lymphadenectasis (n=21), non-swelling group (n=375). The causes of postoperative lymphatic leakage were analyzed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Lymphatic leakage occurred in 27 cases in two groups, with an incidence rate of 6.82%. In the lymphadenectasis group, five cases presenting with lymphatic leakage, with an incidence rate of 23.81%. Lymphatic leakage occurred 3 days after transplantation, the average duration of lymphatic leakage was 23 days, and the lymph drainage was   191 mL every day. In the non-swelling group, 22 cases presented with lymphatic leakage, with an incidence rate of 5.87%. Lymphatic leakage occurred 8 days after transplantation, the average duration of lymphatic leakage was 11 days, and the lymph drainage was 96 mL every day. There were significant differences between these two groups (P < 0.01). In the lymphadenectasis group, one case suffered from lymph node tuberculosis and lymphatic leakage, nine cases suffered from reactive lymph nodes but one of them suffered from lymphatic leakage, 11 cases suffered from chronic lymphadenitis, but three cases of them suffered from lymphatic leakage. In the non-swelling group, one case presented with lost function of transplanted kidney and one case died. These findings suggest that lymphatic leakage after kidney transplantation is related to the nature of lymph nodes, operation, rejection and infection, which affect the survival of human kidney.