Late renal allograft torsion in a pediatric transplant recipient.

Background: Kidney allograft torsion is a rare complication of kidney transplant that can lead to allograft loss from prolonged ischemia if not quickly corrected with detorsion and nephropexy. We report a case of late intraperitoneal renal allograft torsion in a pediatric transplant recipient.

Case Report: The patient is a 7-year-old male with a history of end-stage renal disease secondary to renal dysplasia in the setting of bilateral high-grade vesicoureteral reflux. He underwent bilateral native nephrectomies for recurrent pyelonephritis and right ureteral kink with urinary tract obstruction. Torsion occurred 3 years after transplant in the setting of one day of emesis, loose stool, severe abdominal pain, and decreased urine output. Diagnosis of transplant torsion was suspected on non-contrast CT scan done after transplant Doppler ultrasound showed no flow to the allograft. The CT scan showed that the kidney had been medialized and renal hilum was flipped from the expected orientation. The patient required a transplant nephrectomy.

Conclusions: Renal transplant torsion is a rare event but should be suspected in any renal transplant recipient with acute onset of abdominal pain, acute kidney injury, and decreased urine output, regardless of length of time from transplantation. Patients suspected to have renal torsion should be evaluated emergently with a transplant ultrasound Doppler.