Fifty-one cases of fungal arteritis after kidney transplantation: A case report and review of the literature

Transpl Infect Dis. 2017 Dec;19(6). doi: 10.1111/tid.12781. Epub 2017 Nov 13.

Abstract

Fungal arteritis affecting graft arteries is a rare but life-threatening complication in kidney transplantation (KT). Here, we report the case of a patient with Aspergillus arteritis who experienced renal artery rupture 8 days after KT. We also reviewed 50 other reported cases of fungal arteritis after KT. We found that fungal contamination can occur during kidney graft harvest, preservation, and/or transplantation. Typically, early diagnosis, timely antifungal treatment, and emergency surgery seem crucial for avoiding life-threatening vascular complications.

Keywords: aneurysm; fungal arteritis; kidney transplantation; renal artery rupture.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Allografts / blood supply
  • Allografts / microbiology*
  • Allografts / pathology
  • Allografts / surgery
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arteritis / microbiology*
  • Arteritis / pathology
  • Arteritis / therapy
  • Aspergillosis / microbiology*
  • Aspergillosis / pathology
  • Aspergillosis / therapy
  • Aspergillus flavus / isolation & purification*
  • Aspergillus flavus / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Kidney / blood supply
  • Kidney / microbiology
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Kidney / surgery
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / surgery*
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Kidney Transplantation / methods
  • Male
  • Necrosis / microbiology
  • Necrosis / therapy
  • Nephrectomy
  • Renal Artery / microbiology*
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / microbiology
  • Rupture, Spontaneous / therapy

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents