Renal transplant
Incidental findings Finger prick / lipohypertrophy suggesting DM
+ve signs ‘This patient has ESRF as evidenced scar in RIF with transplanted kidney palpable’±Bilateral masses in flanks suggesting PCKD as aetiologyRenal replacement: Radiocephalic/brachiocephalic fistula or PD catheter/scar. Comment on whether fistula is functional and whether there is evidence of needling.
Differential diagnosis If no specific cause found ‘The most common aetiologies in the UK are …’
Function Rejection: ‘The graft is non-tender, there are no scratch marks suggestive of uraemia’
Fluid balance: JVP/basal creps/able to lie flat
Immunosupression: ‘There are purpora suggestive of steriod usage, multiple warts consistent with azathioprine and hypertrichosis and gum hypertrophy consistent with cyclosporine’
Tests
Extensions

  • Look for III nerve palsy of previous subarachnoid / aneurysm
  • Ask to check the blood pressure
Causes endstage renal failure
Diabetes mellitus
Hypertension
Glomerulonephritis
PCKD
Notes

  • Haemolytic uraemic syndrome and foclal glomerulosclerosis: recurrence within graft common.
  • Graft survival post renal transplant: HLA identical living 88% 5y, 70% 10y; cadaver / non-HLA identical donor ~70% 5y, 50% 10y.
  • Complications of transplant: Infection (CMV, PCP); Hypertension (ciclosporin); Malignancy (lymphomas, skin cancer)
  • Combined kidney-pancreas transplant prolongs survival in patients with diabetes and ESRF
  • Acute rejection: Lymphocytic intersitial infiltrate, biopsy kidney, treated high dose methyl pred, antilymphocyte globuline, OKT3
  • Chronic rejection interstitial fibrosis, atrophy of tubules
  • Chronic kidney disease stages 1-5 defined by GFR (15/30/60/90)