Wound abscesses following retroperitoneal pancreas transplantation

We report the management of peri‐pancreas transplant abscesses in 7 recipients of combined pancreas and kidney transplants in whom the grafts were placed in the retroperitoneum. Five of 7 abscesses were polymicrobial in nature and 3 of 7 contained Candida albicans. Patient management included surgical drainage, wound closure over suction drains, and specific antimicrobial chemotherapy. In the cases of fungal infection, both amphotericin B and ketoconozol therapy were used without untoward effects, except for transient nephrotoxicity in 1 patient due to amphotericin administration. Six of 7 patients retained long‐term endocrine pancreas and renal function and healed their wounds, including all 3 patients with fungal infections. One of the latter patients, however, developed a recurrent retropubic fungal abscess that may have been a persistent occult infection.