Kidney transplantation in recipients with atherosclerotic iliac vessels.

The influence of atherosclerotic lesions of hypogastric and iliac arteries of kidney recipients on intraoperative surgical technique and one-year graft and patient survival was investigated. Among 1553 transplanted kidneys atherosclerotic lesions which required surgical intervention were found in 201 (12.9%) recipients. Thrombendarterectomy (TEA) of hypogastric artery was performed in 142 cases with subsequent anastomosis with the renal artery. Occlusion of hypogastric artery was an indication for renal graft artery to external iliac artery anastomosis in 32 patients. Atherosclerotic changes in external and common iliac artery required TEA in 25 patients and anastomosis between renal artery and external artery was performed. Ilio-iliac bypass or Y-graft simultaneously with kidney transplantation were performed in two cases. One-year survival rate of allografts and patients was 88% and 93%, respectively. No grafts were removed due to kidney artery thrombosis. We conclude that hypogastric artery after TEA provides adequate blood supply to kidney graft.