Challenges and Controversies in Kidney Transplantation

Despite significant accomplishments to date, kidney transplantation is a relatively young field in medicine. Novel concepts to increase organ availability have been adapted by progressive transplant centers due to the shortage of organs available for transplant. Kidney paired donation and single site laparoendoscipic donor nephrectomy are important methods of increasing access to living donor transplantation. Utilization of expanded criteria, donation after cardiac death, hepatitis C positive, and pediatric donor organs are discussed as methords to increase deceased donor transplant opportunities for patients awaiting a kidney transplant. In addition, this book addresses challenging patient populations with complex comorbidities that require special consideration when designing immunosuppression regimens and when developing management strategies. The reader will find this book a comprehensive resource on the topics mentioned above as well as others that can help centres offer transplantation to as many candidates as possible, and improve post-transplant outcomes in order to maximise the organs that are donated.