{
  "abstract": "BackgroundFluid collections are common after kidney transplantation, but their prevalence at scheduled imaging and their management are inconsistent from canter to canter. We describe the cross-sectional prevalence and management of peri-graft collections, including an exploratory deep-drain subgroup.\n\nMethodsIn this retrospective single-canter cohort, 146 consecutive adult kidney transplant recipients (Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, July 2024 to June 2025) were imaged on postoperative day 0/1 and at approximately 1 and 3 months. Routine deep drainage was avoided (n=124); 22 clinically selected recipients with perioperative anticoagulation received a deep drain.\n\nThe primary outcome was cross-sectional prevalence of a peri-graft collection at each visit; secondary outcomes were management among patients with a collection. Drain-group comparisons were exploratory.\n\nResultsCollections were present in 29 of 146 recipients at postoperative day 0/1 (19.9%; 95% CI, 14.2-27.1), 71 of 146 at 1 month (48.6%; 95% CI, 40.7-56.7), and 34 of 146 at 3 months (23.3%; 95% CI, 17.2-30.8). Prevalence in the no-drain group was 21.0%, 50.0%, and 23.4%, respectively; corresponding prevalence in the deep-drain group was 13.6%, 40.9%, and 22.7%.\n\nBetween-group prevalence comparisons were not statistically significant at any time point.\n\nBMI was higher in the deep-drain group than in the no-drain group (30.04 vs 27.1 kg/m{superscript 2}; P=0.01). Among patients with a 1-month collection, management did not differ significantly between groups (any invasive management, 11.1% vs 16.1%; P=1.00). Among patients with a 3-month collection, invasive management was more common in the deep-drain group than in the no-drain group (80.0% vs 13.8%; P=0.007). This comparison included only five deep-drain recipients and was confounded by clinical selection, perioperative anticoagulation, and BMI imbalance.\n\nConclusionsPeri-graft collection prevalence was highest at 1 month and lower at 3 months in this predominantly no-drain cohort. Most collections were managed conservatively, and invasive treatment was uncommon in the no-drain group. The deep-drain subgroup provides clinically relevant information about high-risk recipients selected for drainage but cannot support causal conclusions regarding drain benefit or harm. Patient-level linkage is required to distinguish persistence, resolution, and new collection formation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Cleveland Clinic Florida"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "M. M. Makki"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Davtyan"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Kumar"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Kusakabe"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Fernandes"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Antonio"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Refaai"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7kc115p4ntnm9.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900v1.full",
  "id": "7kc115p4ntnm9",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "transplantation"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2747|Renal Transplantation Outcomes and Treatments"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223017896",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-15",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7kc115p4ntnm9.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:18Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.15.26364900v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:transplantation",
      "subfield": "surgery"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The Natural Course of Peri graft Fluid Collections After Kidney Transplantation: A Serial Imaging Cohort Study.",
  "title_text": "The Natural Course of Peri graft Fluid Collections After Kidney Transplantation: A Serial Imaging Cohort Study.",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7kc115p4ntnm9",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}