Visceral surgery in organ transplant recipients or in patients awaiting transplantation
Matter, M.; Saucy, F.ço.; Venetz, J.-P.; Pascual, M.
Revue Medicale Suisse 1(24): 1608; 1610
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 16028706 Document Number: 594901
Patients receiving immunosuppression are at higher risk for gastrointestinal complications: mortality is high if they are not diagnosed and treated rapidly. Systematic screening for cholelithiasis or diverticular disease, and prophylactic surgery, are not recommended systematically anymore. Patients awaiting a transplant with abdominal symptoms should be investigated without delay and surgery, if indicated and whenever possible based on the anaesthetic evaluation, should be performed. In the transplant population, a high degree of suspicion must be raised in case of any abdominal symptom. Radiological investigations and surgery without delay are often the only ways to preserve the function of the graft and optimize the patient's survival.