Gastrointestinal complications in 248 kidney transplant recipients.

In 248 kidney transplant recipients, 28 (11%) developed serious gastrointestinal complications after the transplantation. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding was the most common complication and accounted for 19 of the cases. Most of the haemorraging occurred during the first 6 months after transplantation and in conjunction with an episode of graft rejection. The mortality following upper gastrointestinal bleeding was 58%. Other serious complications encountered were lower gastrointestinal bleeding (4 cases), perforation of the colon (4 cases) and mesenteric vascular occlusion (1 case). Overall mortality was 43%.