"True" mycotic aneurysm of a renal artery allograft

The impact of preservation fluid culture on graft site arteritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The role of culturing the graft preservation fluid (PF) is controversial and its impact on graft arteritis development remains unclear.

METHODS

Systematic literature search retrieving observational studies comparing solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients with culture-positive PF versus culture-negative PF. The quality of included studies was independently assessed according to the ROBINS-I tool for observational studies. Meta-analysis was performed using Mantel-Haenszel random-effect models. Graft site arteritis within 180 days from transplant was selected as the primary outcome.

RESULTS

Twenty-one observational studies (N = 2208 positive PF vs. 4458 negative) were included. Among positive PF, 857 (38.8%) were classified as high-risk group pathogens and 1351 (61.2%) as low-risk pathogens. Low-risk and negative PF showed similar odds ratios. A significant higher risk of graft arteritis was found in SOT recipients with a PF yielding a high-risk pathogen (odds ratio [OR] 18.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.83-43.40) compared to low-risk and negative PF, with low heterogeneity (I² = 2.24%). Similar results were found considering separately high-risk bacteria (OR 12.02, 95%CI 4.88-29.60) and fungi (OR 71.00, 95%CI 28.07-179.56), with no heterogeneity (I² = 0%), and in the subgroup analyses of the liver (OR 16.78, 95%CI 2.95-95.47) and kidney (OR 19.90, 95%CI 4.78-82.79) recipients. However, data about diagnostic features of graft arteritis were very limited, indeed for only 11 of the 93 events histological or microbiological results were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results may support the performance of PF culturing and a preemptive diagnostic or therapeutic management upon isolation of high-risk pathogens. Further studies based on a reliable diagnosis of graft arteritis are needed.

Allograft artery mycotic aneurysm after kidney transplantation: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Allograft artery mycotic aneurysm (MA) represents a rare but life-threatening complication of kidney transplantation. Graftectomy is widely considered the safest option. Due to the rarity of the disease and the substantial risk of fatal consequences, experience with conservative strategies is limited. To date, only a few reports on surgical repair have been published. We describe a case of true MA successfully managed by aneurysm resection and arterial re-anastomosis.

CASE SUMMARY

An 18-year-old gentleman, on post-operative day 70 after deceased donor kidney transplantation, presented with malaise, low urinary output, and worsening renal function. Screening organ preservation fluid cultures, collected at the time of surgery, were positive for Candida albicans. Doppler ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computer tomography showed a 4-cm-sized, saccular aneurysm of the iuxta-anastomotic segment of the allograft artery, suspicious for MA. The lesion was wide-necked and extended to the distal bifurcation of the main arterial branch, thus preventing endovascular stenting and embolization. After multidisciplinary discussion, the patient underwent surgical exploration, aneurysm excision, and re-anastomosis between the stump of the allograft artery and the internal iliac artery. The procedure was uneventful. Histology and microbiology evaluation of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of MA caused by Candida infection. Three years after the operation, the patient is doing very well with excellent allograft function and no signs of recurrent disease.

CONCLUSION

Surgical repair represents a feasible option in carefully selected patients with allograft artery MA. Anti-fungal prophylaxis is advised when preservation fluid cultures are positive.

Successful repair of kidney graft artery rupture secondary to infection using a preprocessed homologous "Y"-shaped iliac artery

Objectives

This retrospective study aims to describe novel ways of repair kidney allograft artery rupture secondary to infection using a preprocessed homologous “Y”‐shaped iliac artery.

Methods

Five patients' whose course was complicated by graft arterial rupture were included in the rupture group, and patients who received the kidney from the same donor were included in the control group. In the rupture group, the iliac artery used for revascularization was harvested from a DCD donor, pre‐treated with absolute diethyl ether, followed by absolute alcohol, and then preserved in 75% alcohol. A biopsy of the arterial graft was obtained and stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Once a patient was diagnosed with kidney allograft arterial rupture by ultrasound, emergency surgery was conducted and the preprocessed “Y”‐shaped iliac artery was used for bridging.

Results

Five patents were included in the rupture group. The “Y”‐shaped iliac artery grafts were successfully preprocessed, H&E staining and electron microscope observation revealed few visible nuclei, with karyorrhexis and karyolysis. There were no significant differences in the long‐term graft survival between two groups.

Conclusions

In conclusion, using preprocessed homologous “Y”‐shaped iliac artery provides a useful method to bridge the vascular defects from kidney graft artery rupture secondary to infection in renal allograft recipients.

Candida sp. Infections in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Candidiasis has increased substantially worldwide over recent decades and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among critically ill patients. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that predisposes individuals to fungal infections, including those related to Candida sp., due to a immunosuppressive effect on the patient. This review aims to discuss the latest studies regarding the occurrence of candidiasis on DM patients and the pathophysiology and etiology associated with these co-morbidities. A comprehensive review of the literature was undertaken. PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier’s ScienceDirect, and Springer’s SpringerLink databases were searched using well-defined search terms. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to classify relevant manuscripts. Results of the review show that DM patients have an increased susceptibility to Candida sp. infections which aggravates in the cases of uncontrolled hyperglycemia. The conclusion is that, for these patients, the hospitalization periods have increased and are commonly associated with the prolonged use of indwelling medical devices, which also increase the costs associated with disease management.

Prevention and Treatment of Yeast and Endemic Fungal Infections

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) remain an important complication of solid organ transplantation owing to their significant morbidity and mortality and include infections due to Candida, Cryptococcus, endemic mycosis, and other rare yeasts and molds. IFIs occur in different intervals posttransplantation and depend on a number of extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors, some of which are specific to the type of organs transplanted, surgical techniques, and type of immunosuppressive medications. Donor-derived IFIs and emergence of new multidrug-resistant yeasts have been reported in various healthcare settings. Clinical manifestations of yeast and endemic fungal infections vary in different types of organ transplants. Diagnosis of IFIs in SOT recipients is challenging due to their nonspecific signs and symptoms owing to the impaired inflammatory responses as a result of immunosuppression and the lack of highly sensitive and specific diagnostic modalities. Early diagnosis is key to successful therapy, and physicians should have a high index of suspicion based on risk factors and epidemiology of these pathogens. Antifungal treatment strategies for yeast infections have been outlined in various society guidelines. Management of complications that arise before or during antifungal therapy is critical for optimizing clinical response.

A novel technique for en bloc kidney transplantation from infant donors with extremely low body weight by using the distal abdominal aorta as an outflow tract

Pediatric kidney donors remain underutilized due to the high risk of postoperative thrombosis. To address this problem, we developed a novel en bloc kidney transplantation technique using donor thoracic aorta and the distal abdominal aorta as inflow and outflow tracts, respectively. Briefly, eight kidneys from deceased infant donors under five months old and with low body weight (1.9-4.9 kg) were transplanted en bloc into four pediatric and four adult patients. The donor's common iliac artery or external iliac artery was anastomosed to the recipient's distal external iliac artery or inferior epigastric artery, respectively, as an outflow tract. Recipients received basiliximab or antithymocyte globulin as induction therapy followed by tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone but without prophylactic anticoagulation. Delayed graft function was observed in one patient but was reversed at 90 days posttransplant. Two patients had urine leakage, which was cured by conservative treatment. Two recipients developed lung infections that eventually cleared. No patients experienced posttransplant vascular thrombosis. After 1-1.5 years of follow-up, all patients are well and have normal serum creatinine levels. In conclusion, this novel en bloc kidney transplantation technique using a modified arterial inflow and outflow tract can prevent vascular thrombosis and provide adequate graft function.

Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm After Kidney Transplantation: Two Case Reports

BACKGROUND

Vascular complications after kidney transplantation may cause allograft loss. Here, we describe 2 patients with extrarenal mycotic pseudoaneurysm after kidney transplantation.

PATIENTS

Patient 1 was a 54-year-old man who developed pseudoaneurysm 60 days after transplantation, and patient 2 was a 48-year-old woman who was diagnosed with a pseudoaneurysm 5 months after transplantation.

RESULTS

Patient 1 had a deceased-donor kidney transplant with end-to-side external iliac arterial anastomosis that was reconstructed 8 days after transplantation owing to rupture and major bleeding. At 60 days after transplantation, he had high serum creatinine level and Doppler ultrasonography showed a pseudoaneurysm of the arterial graft anastomosis and postanastomotic renal artery stenosis. Treatment included surgical excision of the pseudoaneurysm, vascular reconstruction, and fluconazole, with mycologic culture of the resected pseudoaneurysm showing Candida albicans. Patient 2 developed nondisabling intermittent claudication at 5 months after kidney transplantation, with a pseudoaneurysm subsequently observed on Doppler ultrasonography and computerized tomographic angiography. Treatment included renal artery thrombectomy and common iliac bypass to the hilar donor renal artery with inverted ipsilateral long saphenous vein. Operative samples showed C albicans, and she was treated with fluconazole. Both patients had satisfactory outcomes, and both kidney allografts were preserved.

CONCLUSIONS

Extrarenal mycotic pseudoaneurysms after kidney transplantation require a high index of suspicion for early diagnosis, and preservation of the kidney graft may be achieved with the use of surgical treatment and antifungal therapy.

Fifty-one cases of fungal arteritis after kidney transplantation: A case report and review of the literature

Fungal arteritis affecting graft arteries is a rare but life-threatening complication in kidney transplantation (KT). Here, we report the case of a patient with Aspergillus arteritis who experienced renal artery rupture 8 days after KT. We also reviewed 50 other reported cases of fungal arteritis after KT. We found that fungal contamination can occur during kidney graft harvest, preservation, and/or transplantation. Typically, early diagnosis, timely antifungal treatment, and emergency surgery seem crucial for avoiding life-threatening vascular complications.

Infectious anastomotic pseudoaneurysm complicating renal allograft: case report and review of literature

Infectious anastomotic pseudoaneurysm complicating renal transplant is rare, but probably under-reported with <30 cases worldwide. We report a 45-year-old man with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and end stage renal failure, who had a renal transplant anastomosed to the right external iliac artery and vein. Postoperatively, he made a slow recovery with malaise and persistent vague right iliac fossa discomfort. Ultrasound scan 1 month postoperatively showed perinephric collection, and fluid culture grew Enterococcus faecium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. He was started on vancomycin, daptomycin and colistin. MAG-3 scan also showed suboptimal function in the renal allograft. His symptoms persisted with fever, and blood culture yielded P. aeruginosa. Repeated ultrasound scan, and subsequent computed tomography scan a few weeks later, showed perinephric collection and a large, 3.8×3.5 cm pseudoaneurysm posteromedial to the graft kidney. He underwent emergency graft excision, together with resection of the pseudoaneurysm with in situ reversed great saphenous vein interposition graft, and made a good recovery on hemodialysis. The aneurysm wall grew P. aeruginosa, and he was put on imipenem and cilastatin (tienam), colistin, ciprofloxacin and daptomycin. To our knowledge, this is one of very few cases in the world’s literature in which a P. aeruginosa infectious anastomotic pseudoaneurysm developed after a renal allograft.

Presentation and management of mycotic pseudoaneurysm after kidney transplantation

Pseudoaneurysms (PAs) developing at the site of vascular anastomosis after organ transplantation are a rare but serious complication. We report a series of 3 cases of PA observed in a single center over a period of 18 years. The mode of presentation was acute bleeding in 2 cases. In the third patient, who underwent combined kidney and pancreas transplantation, the PA on the renal graft was discovered by chance. Graft removal associated with iliac artery ligation and extra-anatomic femoro-femoral bypass represents the standard treatment. However, interposition of a venous homograft may allow preservation of inferior limb perfusion and possibly graft salvage.

Candida species contamination of preservation fluid-outcome of renal transplantation in 6 patients

BACKGROUND

Fungal infections are a rare but important cause of morbidity and mortality in kidney transplantation. Fungal contamination of the kidney preservation fluid may, sometimes, be the cause of these infections. However, the clinical consequences of fungal contamination of this fluid are not completely understood and literature on this topic is controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of preservation fluid contamination by fungi and its clinical consequences.

METHODS

From June 2010 to September 2011, a prospective cohort analysis was conducted at our center, enrolling all patients who received a renal allograft and whose perfusion fluid was analyzed for microbiology sterility. Patients with perfusion fluids positive for fungi were further studied: the patients' status was assessed during regular visits and data were recorded, including clinical characteristics, infections, graft function, immunosuppressive regimen and outcomes.

RESULTS

Microbiologic, cultures of 70 kidney perfusion fluids using specific mycologic media, obtained from 74 cadaveric renal transplants (4 fluids were unsuitable for analysis), were evaluated. Six samples were positive for yeasts (8.6%), with 4 isolates of Candida albicans and 2 isolates of Candida glabrata. Four patients had no evidence of fungal infection during the follow-up period (median 321 days); conversely, 2 patients developed severe mycotic vascular complications leading to transplantectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Perfusion fluid contamination by fungi is an elusive situation that can lead either to an unremarkable clinical course or to graft loss life-threatening situations. Routine culture of kidney perfusion fluid is critical for prompt diagnosis and early implementation of appropriate treatment.

Renal artery aneurysm mimicking renal calculus with hydronephrosis

A 51-year-old woman was found to have a left renal calculus with hydronephrosis. She underwent unsuccessful extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, leading to the recommendation that percutaneous lithotomy was necessary to remove the renal calculus. In view of the unusual shape of the calculus and absence of abnormalities in urine sediment, preoperative computed tomography and renal angiography were performed, which instead showed a calcified left renal artery aneurysm. Subsequent efforts to perform an aneurysmectomy also failed, eventually necessitating left nephrectomy. This case illustrates the pitfalls in the diagnosis of a renal artery aneurysm, which is a relatively common condition that may have unusual presentations. Hence, it is suggested that the possibility of a renal artery aneurysm be considered in the differential diagnosis when one detects a renal calculus with an unusual appearance. In addition, we propose that 3-dimensional reconstruction computed tomography be performed before considering surgical options for such renal calculi to rule out the possibility of a renal artery aneurysm.

"True" mycotic aneurysm of the anastomotic site of the renal allograft artery

The incidence of vascular complications after renal transplant as reported varies from 3.5% to 14%. Pseudoaneurysm formation at the site of the anastomosis is a rare complication, and only a few cases have been reported. There also were only a few reports of "true" mycotic aneurysms of the renal allograft artery. We present 2 patients with true mycotic aneurysmal formation of the renal allograft artery after a renal transplant. Both patients presented with fever and increasing serum creatinine levels. Cultures from aneurysm tissue samples have grown Aspergillus flavus. Both patients were subjected to an allograft nephrectomy, and amphotericin was given.

Pseudoaneurysm of the iliac artery secondary to Aspergillus infection after kidney transplantation

Infectious complications are the top causes of morbidity and mortality in patients who undergo renal transplantation. We report a patient who received a cadaveric renal transplant in Mainland China. One year post-transplantation, the patient had right buttock pain with radiation to the leg. Swelling and tenderness over the right groin was also found. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a multilobulated cystic lesion, about 8 x 7 cm, at the right iliac fossa and presacral region extending to the posterior aspect of the graft kidney and up to the right psoas muscle. Drainage of the intra-abdominal abscess was performed. The abscess culture showed presence of Aspergillus spp. The patient had received steroids, tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, which could be a risk factor for fungal infection. The cause of Aspergillus infection in our patient remains unclear. It may have been due to immune system insufficiency of the patient rendering the patient prone to infection. Pseudoaneurysm formation of the internal iliac artery following Aspergillus infection after kidney transplantation is rarely reported. Although it is a dilemma, once a severe situation such as pseudoaneurysm with aspergillosis presents, graft removal is suggested.

Evidence that graft-site candidiasis after kidney transplantation is acquired during organ recovery: a multicenter study in France

BACKGROUND

Infections of renal grafts with Candida species can induce life-threatening complications in the recipient.

METHODS

A 9-year retrospective study involving all of the transplant centers in France was designed to determine the incidence, origin, characteristics, and outcome of graft-site candidiasis that occurred after kidney transplantation. Yeasts cultured from preservation or drainage solutions and graft specimens were recorded.

RESULTS

Among 18,617 kidney grafts, 18 recipients corresponding to 12 donors developed culture-confirmed graft-site candidiasis (incidence, 1 case per 1000 grafts) a median of 25 days after the graft procedure. Clinical presentations included 14 cases of renal arteritis (13 were complicated by aneurysm), 1 urinoma, 2 graft site abscesses, and 1 surgical site infection. Candida albicans was involved in 13 cases. A unique C. albicans genotype or a single rare Candida species was involved in each episode. Together with the clinical history, these findings demonstrate that organ contamination followed by transmission to the recipient occurred during recovery. Therapeutic management varied from simple monitoring in 1 case to a combination of surgery (nephrectomy in 9 cases and arterial bypass in 9 cases) and antifungal therapy (14 cases). Overall, 3 of 18 kidney transplant recipients died, and 9 had their graft surgically removed.

CONCLUSION

Graft-transmitted candidiasis that ends most often in fungal arteritis is associated with high morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation and is related to organ contamination during recovery in the donor.

Outcome of renal transplantation in eight patients with Candida sp. contamination of preservation fluid

The complications of kidney graft preservation fluid infected by Candida sp. may range in severity from trivial infections to life-threatening complications, including graft arteritis and anastomotic rupture. Mandatory nephrectomy has recently been proposed as a means of preventing arterial wall rupture in such cases. We describe the clinical features and outcome of renal transplantation from a cadaveric donor in eight recipients with preservation fluid testing positive for Candida sp. Six patients were treated with antifungal drugs. After 1-2 years of follow-up, including regular imaging, none of the patients had developed arterial aneurysm, and all had a functional allograft and were alive. The contamination of renal graft preservation fluid with Candida sp. may be uneventful and should not systematically lead to removal of the graft. Until other risk factors for vascular complications have been determined, early antifungal treatment and repeated radiological monitoring are advisable for the prevention and/or early detection of such complications.

Candida albicans arteritis transmitted by conservative liquid after renal transplantation: a report of four cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Mycotic arteritis and/or aneurysms are infrequent complications of renal transplantation. They are mostly secondary to bacterial infection and rarely to Candida albicans. We report four cases of mycotic arteritis due to C. albicans after renal transplantation but which have been inoculated during organ harvesting or conservation.

METHODS

In all the four cases corresponding to two independent donors, C. albicans was isolated few days later in the systematic culture of the conservative liquid. We also review the clinical features and outcomes of 13 cases previously reported in the literature.

RESULTS

In two cases, the diagnosis of fungal arteritis was confirmed only during autopsy after the patient's death due to massive bleeding. In the other two cases, the diagnosis was made on the arterial section of the anastomotic wall after detransplantation for massive bleeding for arterial leakage although an immediate antifungal treatment with fluconazole and caspofungin was given and was found to be inefficient.

CONCLUSION

This is a serious complication of renal transplantation because it leads to graft loss in the majority of the cases and even to death in a few cases despite an efficient and rapid treatment. Routine fungal cultures of preservation media are important for early diagnosis and timely surgical interventions are life-saving.

Renal artery aneurysm secondary to Candida albicans in four kidney allograft recipients

INTRODUCTION

Infection is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients. It may occur at different periods after transplantation. We report four cases of mycotic aneurysms due to Candida albicans (CA) in renal transplant recipients occurring early after kidney transplantation.

CASE REPORTS

Four patients (three men, one woman) aged from 24 to 55 years who underwent cadaveric renal transplantation from three different donors developed a mycotic aneurysm at 9 to 90 days after transplantation. In all cases aneurysms were located at the anastomosis between the renal graft artery and the iliac axis. The clinical presentations were fever in three cases, including endocarditis in one patient or deterioration of graft function in two cases and hemorrhagic shock secondary to a ruptured renal artery in the fourth case, which led to death. The arterial aneurysm was discovered at autopsy. The diagnosis of a mycotic aneurysm was based on morphological investigations: echotomography, spiral computed tomography, and arteriography. In all cases bacteriological studies (blood culture, culture of the aneurysmal wall and content) isolated CA. In three patients CA was isolated from the preservation solution; it was of the same phenotype as the one isolated from the aneurysm in one recipient. Antifungal therapy was started in patients who lived, but all kidney transplants had to be removed. Anatomical results of arterial reconstructions were satisfactory in all cases and remained so during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The insidious presentation and clinical course of mycotic aneurysms due to CA require a high degree of suspicion to make the correct diagnosis.

Greffe rénale et artérite du greffon à Candida albicans

INTRODUCTION

Candida arteritis can compromise the functional prognosis of the graft or even the life of the transplant recipient. The infection can be transmitted by the graft.

OBSERVATION

A 46 year-old woman contracted a Candida albicans ateritis of the graft following a kidney transplant that led to a detransplantation. The yeast was probably transmitted by the graft from the donor, source of an unknown candida infection: it was found in the conservation liquid of the graft itself, and in the renal artery and vascular pedicle. Analysis of of these three elements by enzymatic electrophoresis showed that they were identical.

COMMENTARIES

This case report underlines the need to establish guidelines and sanitary safety measures, notably that of systematically placing in culture the concervation solutions and alerting the transplant team if any fungi are isolated.