Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation
Published on: July 19, 2021
[Kidney paired donation. Combination with extracorporeal desensitization]
1Abteilung für Nephrologie und Dialyse, Universitätsklinik für Innere Medizin III, Medizinische Universität Wien, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Wien, Österreich.
Background:
Live kidney donation represents the gold standard for renal replacement therapy. Due to ABO and HLA incompatibility between donor and recipient pairs, one third of possible transplantations cannot be performed. Kidney exchange programs in combination with extracorporeal desensitization have been introduced to enable successful kidney transplantation in such circumstances.
Objective:
This review discusses the current indications, methods, ethical problems and results within such programs.
Materials And Methods:
Relevant Medline articles were analyzed and personal experiences of the authors are included in this article.
Results:
Kidney exchange programs in combination with extracorporeal desensitization enable successful transplantation for most patients.
Discussion:
The best combinations of existing strategies have to be defined and newly arisen ethical questions have to be answered.
Related Concept Videos
Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Kidney Transplant III: Nursing Management

