Complications of Post-Transplant Immunosuppression

Transplantation is one of the revolutionary fields in modern medicine that has saved thou‐ sands of lives. The continuous refinement of surgical techniques and the availability of potent immunosuppressive drugs have made transplantation the most effective treatment option for patients with end stage organ failure. Over 25 000 organ transplants are performed in the USA each year and survival rates following transplantation are now approaching 90% at 1 year and 75% at 5 years, depending on the organ transplant (kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, lung, intestine). Central to this success was the introduction of drugs that suppress the immune system and prevent rejection. Indeed, across organs, the use of current immunosuppression regimens effectively prevents acute rejection in the majority of patients. As a result, the incidence of graft loss due to acute rejection has decreased dramatically compared to the early era of transplantation.