Desensitization in the Setting of HLA-Incompatible Kidney Transplant

The number of kidney transplant candidates is increasing sharply. Among them, at least 20% are HLA sensitized. For these patients, in the setting of both living- and deceased-donor kidney transplant, we may face donor-specific alloantibodies at pretransplant. In such cases, the microlymphocytotoxicity crossmatch may or may not be positive. Kidney transplant with donor-specific antibodies at pretransplant is known as HLA-incompatible transplant. At present, we can use many methods to ensure that the kidney transplant is successful, provided that the recipient is desensitized before or after transplant. In this paper, we review the various strategies available for desensitization of HLA-incompatible kidney transplant recipients and the long-term outcomes.