Maintaining immunosuppressive treatment after early allograft nephrectomy does not reduce the risk of anti-HLA allo-sensitization

Early loss of a kidney allograft within the first days or weeks after transplantation occurs in 3–5% of kidney-transplant patients (1) (2). It is mainly caused by artery and/or vein allograft thrombosis (2), and requires a rapid allograft nephrectomy. We have previously shown that, even after a short transplant period, donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and non-DSA anti-HLA antibodies develop in up to 50% of patients who stop immunosuppressive treatments immediately after an early allograft nephrectomy (3). Mechanisms leading to sensitization are incompletely explained, but could involve the persistence of the donor's antigens after allograft removal, particularly in the vascular patches (read more)

The old transplant recipient that becomes a liver donor

The success of transplantation has made it inevitable that there will be more transplant recipients that become potential cadaveric donors. The re-use of allografts and utilization of other organs from former transplant recipients will add to the limited donor pool. In addition, many transplant recipients will want the opportunity to donate in return. The following is a short report on two liver donors who were former transplant recipients (read more)