Outcome after Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty of Arterial Stenosis in Renal Transplant Patients

Background: Ensuring graft survival in renal transplant patients is of paramount importance. Early detection and treatment of complications such as transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) are essential. Purpose: To evaluate the technical and clinical success rate of renal transplant patients with stenosis in the transplant renal artery or in the iliac artery after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Material and Methods: PTA was carried out on 24 patients with TRAS or iliac artery stenosis. Altogether, 28 stenoses were treated with PTA. The immediate technical result and the clinical outcomes after 1 and 3 months were assessed as well as clinical adverse events. A reduction in serum creatinine and/or a reduction in the number of antihypertensive drugs were criteria for clinical success. Results: The immediate technical success rate after PTA was 93%. The clinical success rate after 1 month was 58%, increasing to 75% after 3 months. Conclusion: The technical success rate is not equivalent to the clinical success rate when treating TRAS with PTA. Furthermore, there is a delay in clinical response, sometimes of 3 months, after a technically successful PTA.