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Living kidney transplantation: a starting experience
P Veroux1, M Veroux, C Puliatti
1Department of Surgery, Transplantation, and Advanced Technologies, Kidney Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy. pveroux@unict.it
Transplantation Proceedings
|April 28, 2004
Summary
Living kidney transplantation offers excellent patient and graft survival rates. Donor health remains unaffected, with low complication rates, making it a viable option to expand the donor pool.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Transplantation Surgery
- Immunology
Background:
- Presents initial experience with living kidney transplantation.
- Highlights the growing need for alternative donor sources due to limited cadaveric donors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of living kidney transplantation.
- To assess donor morbidity and recipient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 27 living kidney transplants between January 2001 and December 2002.
- Utilized immunosuppression regimens including basiliximab, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids.
Main Results:
- Donor morbidity was low (5.5%), with no significant changes in renal function or blood pressure post-donation.
- Recipient outcomes showed 100% patient and graft survival at a mean follow-up of 15.2 months.
- Acute rejection occurred in 22.2% of recipients, more frequently with cyclosporine.
Conclusions:
- Accurate donor selection and management are crucial for successful living kidney transplantation.
- Living donation does not impair donor health and is associated with a low complication rate.
- Living donor kidney transplantation is a valuable alternative to increase organ availability and improve survival rates, especially where cadaveric donors are scarce.