AU - Dimski DS

AU - Hebert LA

AU - Sedmak D

AU - Ogrodowski JL

AU - Elkhammas EA

AU - Tesi RJ

AU - Gold M

AU - Courville CS

TI - Renal autotransplantation in the loin pain-hematuria syndrome: a cautionary note

AB - The current literature suggests that renal autotransplantation is nearly uniformly effective in

controlling the severe and debilitating pain of the loin pain-hematuria syndrome (LPHS). However, we

report two patients thought to have this syndrome in whom renal autotransplantation did not result in long-

term control of pain. In case 1, autotransplantation resulted in immediate cessation of pain; however, the

flank pain recurred 7 1/2 months later. The recurrent pain was also severe and debilitating, requiring narcotic

medications for control. In case 2, autotransplantation of the left kidney resulted in chronic pain in the left

pelvic area, the site of the autotransplanted kidney. In addition, the patient continued to experience chronic

discomfort in the left flank and along the flank incision. One year after autotransplantation, the patient still

requires multiple daily doses of narcotic medications for pain control. Our two patients represent the 13th

and 14th reported patients subjected to renal autotransplantation for management of LPHS. They represent

only the third and fourth reported patients with recurrence of pain after renal autotransplantation. Because

studies with negative results are less likely to be reported in the literature than studies with positive results, it

is possible that the literature overestimates the effectiveness of renal autotransplantation in the LPHS. To

assess the true effectiveness of renal autotransplantation in LPHS, a survey of patients with LPHS who have

undergone renal autotransplantation needs to be performed.

SO - American Journal of Kidney Diseases 1992;20:180-18