Renal transplantation in children

From July 1967 to September 1974, 26 kidney transplantations were carried out in 16 children aged 6 to 17 years, in Gotherburg. The average age at the primary transplantation was 12 years and average body weight 29.7 kg. Five patients had familial juvenile nephronophthisis, 5 chronic glomerulonephritis, 5 chronic pyelonephritis, and one bilateral Wilms's tumour. Four patients were predialytic. Fourteen grafts came from living related donors. The surgical technique was standard as was the immunosuppression with azathioprine and cortisone; exceptionally antilymphocyte globulin was used. Thirteen patients were alive in September 1974, observed 2-65 months, 8 with a normal serum creatinine, 3 with moderately elevated serum creatinine, and 2 on hemodialysis. The 6- and 12-month survivals of patients are 100% and 93% respectively. Normal growth and full rehabilitation in recipients of functioning grafts make renal transplantation justified as a therapeutic procedure in terminally uremic children.