Intestinal obstruction due to internal hernia following pancreas transplantation.

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation has evolved as the best treatment for type 1 diabetic patients at end-stage renal disease. The surgical complication rate is high, which is an important barrier to the success of this procedure. The frequent complications that require relaparotomies include fistulas, graft thromboses, and intra-abdominal abscesses. Intestinal obstructions after pancreas transplantation due to internal herniation are not common.

PURPOSE: The objective of this article was to review the literature about this problem and describe our personal experience in pancreas transplantation.

METHODS

We examined the cases of small bowel obstruction secondary to an internal hernia after following 292 pancreas transplantations in our center from 2000 to 2009 as well as performed a Medline literature review.

RESULTS

Only 2 articles described the diagnosis and treatment of internal hernias after pancreas transplantation. However, both contribution were from the same center reporting the same 3 cases, with surgical versus radiologic perspectives. We have described our 2 cases of young pancreas-kidney transplant patients who presented with acute intestinal obstruction due to internal hernia.

CONCLUSION

Although internal hernias are rare, they are potentially fatal and difficult to diagnose when they occur after pancreas transplantation. Detection with early surgery demands a high degree of clinical vigilance.