Results of Pediatric Kidney Transplants in an 8-Year Period: A Retrospective Study

Background. Patient survival and quality of life is better after a kidney transplant compared with dialysis. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the results of pediatric kidney transplants in an 8-year period in our center. Methods. We reviewed the files of 166 children and adolescents who had undergone kidney transplants between 2008 and 2015 in our center. All the patients were younger than 18 years old and had been followed up for at least 2 years. Results. The transplanted kidneys were taken from live donors in 146 (88%) of the cases and from cadavers in 20 (12%) of the cases. They were procured from unrelated and related donors in 129 (90%) and 17 (10%) of the cases, respectively. Laparoscopic nephrectomy was done on 141 donors. The kidney vessels were anastomosed to the aorta, the common iliac, and the internal iliac in 3.6%, 56%, and 40.4% of cases, respectively. Preemptive kidney transplants were performed on 62 patients. The mean of patient survival was 124 +/- 1.37 months. One- and five-year patient survival rates were 99% and 97%, respectively. The mean of graft survival was 118.29 +/- 2.47 months. One- and five-year graft survival rates were 94% and 93%, respectively. Preemptive kidney transplants had a higher graft survival rate (P < .02). Conclusion. Kidney transplant is a safe and feasible procedure in children and adolescents based on patient and graft survival outcomes. In our center, surgery complications led to kidney loss in very few cases.