Solid organ transplantation. Where has it been, where is it going?

Current developments in the field of clinical transplantation have led to the proliferation and expansion of the indications for various surgical procedures. Elderly patients, individuals who are at high risk of developing complications during or after the transplant procedure, and extremely ill individuals whose only chance of survival is an immediate transplant increasingly are being considered as potential recipients. The often complex nature of the underlying disease of the transplant patient, the magnitude of the transplant procedure itself, and the potential severity of ensuing complications that are often unique to this group of patients frequently lead to examination and treatment of the patient in the intensive care unit. The preoperative evaluation, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative care of such patients have become a critical mainstay to their recovery, and are the focus of other articles in this issue.