Acute femoral neuropathy following renal transplantation: a retrospective, multicenter study in China.

BACKGROUND We investigated the relationship between the mode and duration of iliac artery anastomosis and acute femoral neuropathy (AFN). METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed for 83 AFN cases from 6 transplantation centers in China. The incidence and nature of dysfunction of AFN were classified based upon the duration of iliac arterial anastomosis. No prisoners were used, and no organs from prisoners were used to obtain the data. RESULTS The incidence of AFN was 3.6% (53/1,449) in internal iliac anastomosis (group 1), 3.1% (11/346) in external iliac anastomosis (group 2) (P > .05 vs. group 1), and was 54.2% (19/35) in internal iliac ligation with external iliac anastomosis (group 3 P < .01 vs. groups 1 and 2). In group 1, the duration of the arterial anastomosis was 20 minutes in 52 cases (98.1%). In group 2, the duration of arterial anastomosis was 20 minutes in 10 cases (91%). In group 3, the duration of the arterial anastomosis was >20 minutes in all cases; 20 cases showed injury to the iliolumbar or deep iliac circumflex artery. CONCLUSION The incidence of AFN was associated with the selection of iliac arteries, the duration of the arterial anastomosis, and an injury to the iliolumbar or deep iliac circumflex artery.