Surgical complications of kidney transplantation

Over the last 30 years, kidney transplantation has evolved tremendously, from an experimental procedure with barely 50% allograft acceptance to a highly refined management program with a success rate of 80-90%. Not only has the overall rate of complications decreased to less than 5%, due to more secure technical approaches, but also advances in immunosuppressive regimens have reduced the morbidity associated with the procedure. This contribution, addressing all stages of the transplant process (donor nephrectomy, benchwork preparation, and implantation) assesses potential pitfalls and technical misadventures that must be avoided in order to assure the patient of a complication-free course.