[Clinical surveillance after renal transplantation]

Renal transplantation restores quality of life and social activity, heavily compromised in dialysis patients. After receiving a renal transplantation, patients are looked after by different doctors, who are usually supervised by the team of nephrologists devoted to the Transplant Unit. Aims of the follow-up after renal transplantation are to prevent and cure all renal and systemic dysfunctions, in particular acute and chronic rejection, cardiovascular diseases, infections and malignancies, that a relevantly increased incidence because of immunosuppression. Transplanted patients with stable renal function and good general conditions need a medical care, which is not much different to that necessary for other categories of chronic outpatients. Consequently, participation in the post-transplant care by physicians not specifically involved in the transplant team and not particularly expert in renal transplantation, including GPs, is very welcome, at the condition that they receive adequate information about follow-up protocols and that they respect the indications of physicians responsible of the Transplant Unit.