Operative treatment of endometrial hyperplasia in kidney graft recipients: report of seven cases.

OBJECTIVES

The high rate of abnormal uterine bleeding associated with endometrial hyperplasia has been observed in women after kidney transplantation. The great majority of these premalignant lesions regress after conservative treatment, mostly with progestagens. There are cases, however, of persistent or recurrent hyperplasia requiring operative treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We report seven cases of endometrial hyperplasia in kidney graft recipients treated with hysterectomy after failure of conservative treatment. The presence of typical risk factors of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer were analyzed as well as their clinical courses and treatment methods.

RESULTS

The age of the patients ranged from 35 to 50 years (mean, 42.7). Among typical risk factors, we observed obesity, diabetes, arterial hypertension, and nulliparity in the study group. All patients reported abnormal uterine bleeding and developed anemia. Women underwent two to four dilatation and curettage procedures. Progestagens (medroxyprogesterone or lynesterol) were administered for 3 to 9 months. The initial treatment was ineffective in two cases; in the remaining five cases endometrial hyperplasia recurred within 3 to 12 months. Pathologic findings after hysterectomy in all patients confirmed non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia.

CONCLUSION

Hysterectomy is the treatment of last resort for premalignant endometrial lesions. It should be considered in all cases of recurrent or persistent endometrial hyperplasia. It may protect immunocompromised kidney graft recipients from heavy bleeding, severe anemia, and most of all, the of endometrial cancer development.