Arterial disease with ischemic ulcerations in renal transplanted recipients.

Four cases of wide-spread arterial calcifications and peripheral necroses developing after successful renal transplantation are presented. In two cases parathyroidectomy was performed to prevent progress of the peripheral ischemic ulcers. In one of these cases, this was followed by healing of the necroses. In the two other cases parathyroidectomy had been performed because of hypercalcemia in the post-transplantation period. Ischemic ulcers appeared in these patients during treatment with vitamin D and healed after withdrawal of this therapy. Prevention of uremic arterial disease might be obtained by early control of serum phosphate levels and by renal transplantation at an early stage of renal disease. Parathyroidectomy should be considered in the treatment of developing peripheral gangrene in uremic patients and renal transplant recipients. Also, there are obvious hazards connected with vitamin D therapy in these patients.