Gastrointestinal complications in renal transplantation

Abstract

Out of a series of 614 renal transplantation performed over a 4-year period, using cyclosporin and cimetidine, 100 patients developed a gastrointestinal complication: 9.6% of gastroduodenal ulcers, 4.4% of intestinal complications, 1.3% of pancreatic complications. 7 patients died: 5 from stress haemorrhages, 2 from peritonitis secondary to intestinal perforation. 32% of patients who developed an ulcer had a history of ulcer, but none of them developed a serious complication of their ulcer under cimetidine treatment. 18% of patients with colonic diverticula developed a diverticular complication after transplantation. The patients who died died from stress haemorrhage generally in a context of sepsis or from peritonitis secondary to intestinal perforation diagnosed after a delay of 24 hours.