Overview of renal transplantation

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for end stage renal disease patients. Recent advances, including newer immunosuppressants, revision of organ allocation policies, and better medical care of renal transplant recipients, have resulted in an increase number of transplants with improved outcomes. The major obstacles include the lack of improvement in long term outcomes, shortage of organs and long-term morbidity of candidates with chronic kidney disease. This review highlights transplant immunology, organ allocation, immunosuppressive medications, and complications of transplantation involving post transplantation infections, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.