Background: Several surgical strategies have been introduced for spontaneous kidney rupture. Herein, we report on a case in which temporary artery clamping with hemostatic materials was performed.
Case presentation: A 52-year-old man underwent renal transplant from a living donor (his 20-year-old son). Spontaneous allograft rupture occurred 6 days after transplant. He developed severe abdominal pain, hypotension, and mental changes. His blood hemoglobin level was 3.6 g/dL, which was indicative of severe hemorrhage. Immediate re-exploration revealed a large hematoma in the iliac fossa and that the renal allograft had ruptured, with multiple fracture lines on the entire surface. Because of diffuse surface rupture, surgical suture was not attempted. For manual compressive hemostasis, temporary artery clamping with hemostatic materials was performed. First, we identified the graft artery for temporary clamping, similar to the method in partial nephrectomy. Second, at the time of temporary clamping, the hemostatic matrix was sprayed on the surface of the renal graft. Third, we compressed the whole renal parenchyma with both hands and a dry pad for 5 minutes. After removing the clamp, successful bleeding control was confirmed. Finally, the graft was wrapped with oxidized cellulose. Renal biopsy in the operating room revealed the cause of rupture as acute rejection type IIB.
Conclusion: Spontaneous renal allograft rupture is a rare but serious complication. When surgical suture is not appropriate for the repair of the ruptured allograft, temporary artery clamping with hemostatic materials can be considered an alternative.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.