Treatment of posttransplant lymphocele with povidone-iodine sclerosis: long-term follow-up.

Percutaneous transcatheter sclerosis with iodate-povidone has been proposed as a treatment of posttransplant lymphocele. We treated 19 lymphoceles with iodate-povidone, 10 of them totally resolved and 6 promptly recurred. Three recurrences were treated conservatively and in 3 the treatment was repeated with success. Therefore, we have a low recurrence and retreatment rate. Our total resolution rate was 100%. Complications due to the treatment were rare. In the long term no patient has developed any renal or perirenal complication related to iodine sclerosis. We conclude that iodine sclerosis is a safe and effective treatment of posttransplant lymphocele. We think that surgical procedures must be reserved to collections adjacent to renal hilum or inaccessible for safe puncturing.