[Organ transplantation in childhood]

Organ transplantation in children has to consider the development of the children. One limitation is the organ size of orthotopic transplanted organs as liver, heart and lung. The activation of unspecific immune response in the pediatric recipients is a risk of rejection episodes especially in infants. The experiences of the Medical School Hannover with 203 pediatric renal recipients and with 117 pediatric liver recipients are reported. Congenital disorders with chronic organ insufficiency frequently lead to growth retardation and cardiovascular complications already before transplantation and determine the long term outcome especially in renal transplantation.