Sexual impotence: the overlooked complication of a second renal transplant.

THE INCIDENCE OF SEXUAL IMPOTENCE IN 20 MEN WHO HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST 2 KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS WAS 65 PER CENT COMPARED TO 10 PER CENT AFTER THE FIRST TRANSPLANT. The impotence was transient (2 to 4 months) in both affected men after the first transplant but permanent (2 to 10 years) in 6 men after the second operation. We attribute this increased percentage of impotance to the second end-to-end arterial anastomosis that requires division of the internal iliac arteries. We suggest that the second transplant be placed end-to-side into the common iliac artery.