Bilateral nephrectomy for adult polycystic kidney disease does not affect the graft function of transplant patients and does not result in sensitisation

Native nephrectomy in Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) patients is a major operation with controversy related to timing and indications. We present our single centre experience in transplanted patients and future candidates for transplantation. Methods. Retrospective analysis from an anonymised database of bilateral nephrectomies for ADPKD patients. Results were reported as median, range, and percentage. Differences between groups were tested using ANOVA and t-test. Surgery was performed between January 2012 and July 2018. Results. Thirty-three patients underwent bilateral native nephrectomy for APKD. 18 had a functioning kidney transplant (transplant group, 55%) while 15 patients were on dialysis (dialysis group, 45%) at the time of surgery; 8 patients of the latter group (24% of the whole cohort) were eventually transplanted. 53% were males, with median age of 55 years (27-71). Indications to surgery were the following: space (symptoms related to the size of the native kidneys or need to create space for transplantation) (59%), recurrent cyst infection (36%), haematuria (15%), pain (24%), and weight loss associated with cystic alteration on imaging (3%). In the transplant group, postoperative kidney function was not affected; haemoglobin serum levels significantly dropped in the whole cohort: 121 (82-150) g/L, versus 108 (58-154) g/L (p<0.001), with 14 patients being transfused perioperatively. Elevation of anti-HLA antibodies was noted in one female patient on dialysis, with no change in DSA levels and no rejection after transplant for all 26 transplanted patients. Median postoperative length of hospital stay was 9 days (6-71). One patient died (3%) after six months. Median follow-up for the whole cohort was 282 days (13-1834). Histopathological examination revealed incidental renal neoplasms in five cases (15%): 1 pT1a papillary renal cell carcinoma and 4 papillary adenomas. Conclusions. Native nephrectomy for ADPKD could be safely performed in case of refractory symptoms, suspect of cancer or to create space for transplantation. It does not affect graft function or DSA status of transplanted patients or the prospect of transplantation of those on the waiting list.