renal transplantation a better quality of life for uremic patients, review of results in 69 kidney transplantions

between june, 1984 and january 20, 1987, 69 kidney transplantations were performed in our department. all kidneys were acquired from living donors. 63% of the cases were high-risk mlc-positive (poorly matched), and all but one were from related sources. there were only five rejected kidneys, all of which occurred in kidneys from parent donors. 28 recipients received donor-specific transfusions. immunosuppression was with azathioprine and prednisone in 40 patients, and in 29 recipients, cyc1osporine and prednisone were the immunosuppressive agents. in four patients, ureteral fistulas occurred but in all of these cases, the grafts were saved by surgical intervention and no mortality resulted. overall patient survival in 69 transplantations after two and a half years was 95.6% (average follow up 9.7 months) renal transplantion is considered a safe procedure that can improve the quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.