Transplant 101: Post-Kidney Transplant Complications

Kidney transplantation offers individuals with end stage kidney disease the best chance for long-term survival without dialysis and at the lowest cost to the health care system. However, kidney transplantation comes with risks and complications. These complications can be categorized as short-term, long-term, infectious, and noninfectious. Short-term complications can occur immediately after transplant and for up to six months post-transplant. These complications can involve delayed graft function, infection, rejection, and technical surgical causes. Long-term complications occur six months and beyond post-transplant. It is important for the nephrology provider to partner with the transplant recipient to develop strategies to prevent, monitor, and treat kidney transplant complications.