Long-Term Success with Double Pediatric Cadaver Donor Renal Transplants

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Abstract
The use of pediatric cadaver kidneys for transplantation has been limited because of a fear of an increased risk of technical complications or because these grafts leave the recipient with a relatively small amount of functioning renal tissue. From 1971-1981, 21 double pediatric cadaver donor renal transplants were performed. Of these grafts, 11 are currently functioning for periods up to 11 yr posttransplant. Only 1 graft was lost due to a technical complication. Using actuarial anlaysis, the graft survival and patient survival in this group of patients was compared with a control group of 39 computer matched and randomly selected recipients of adult cadaver kidneys and to all nonmatched recipients of cadaver kidneys during the same time period. There were no statistically significant differences among the 3 groups in graft or patient survival. Apparently, the long-term results with double pediatric cadaver kidney transplants are the same as those using single adult cadaver kidneys. Pediatric kidneys should be used whenever they are available so that transplantation can be extended to more patients.