Pediatric en bloc kidney transplantation into pediatric recipients

• Published in: Pediatric transplantation 2010-02, Vol.14 (1), p.100-104
• Main Authors: Lau, Keith K., Berg, Gerre M., Schjoneman, Yolanda G., Perez, Richard V., Butani, Lavjay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Factors; Anastomosis, Surgical - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; en block; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Graft Survival; Humans; Iliac Artery - surgery; Infant; Kidney Failure, Chronic - surgery; kidney transplantation; Kidney Transplantation - methods; Male; Medical sciences; pediatrics; Quality of Life; Retrospective Studies; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the urinary system; Time Factors; Tissue Donors - supply & distribution; Treatment Outcome; Ureter - surgery; Vena Cava, Inferior - surgery; Waiting Lists
• ISSN: 1397-3142; 1399-3046
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3046.2009.01137.x

Lau KK, Berg GM, Schjoneman YG, Perez RV, Butani L. Pediatric en bloc kidney transplantation into pediatric recipients. Pediatr Transplantation 2010: 14: 100–104. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S. :  As a result of the ongoing shortage in organ supply, en bloc renal transplantation from small donors has become more common for adult recipients with ESRD. However, because of concern for higher complication rates and sub‐optimal outcomes, it is not being performed in every center, and data describing its use in pediatric recipients are even more limited. We retrospectively studied three patients who have undergone en bloc renal transplantation at our center. Median age at transplantation was 16.7 yr with a median follow‐up of 1.2 yr. Donor age ranged from nine to 49 months with weight ranging from 10 to 22 kg. There were no post‐operative thrombotic complications. All grafts showed increased renal size at follow‐up by ultrasound. There was no clinical or histological rejection at last follow‐up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the outcomes of en bloc kidney transplantation from pediatric donors into pediatric recipients. Based on our experience, albeit very limited, we feel that en bloc renal transplantation from young donors is an acceptable and safe procedure with low complication rates in pediatric recipients and should be given consideration to minimize wait times on the wait list and to improve quality of life.