Transplantation

Abstract

Kidney transplantation offers children with chronic kidney disease stage 5 the best chance of long-term survival and is associated with lower morbidity than long-term dialysis. However, transplantation surgery and the necessary long-term immunosuppressive therapy expose the child to an increased risk of a number of different complications, including infection, metabolic abnormalities, and malignancy. In the era of modern immunosuppressive therapy, acute rejection rates are low; however, there remain significant challenges regarding the management of recurrent disease and chronic antibody-mediated rejection.