Native Nephrectomy in Relation to Pediatric Renal Transplantation

Nowadays, renal transplantation (RTx) is the best renal replacement therapy for children with end stage renal disease (ESRD) with the best survival [1]. However, RTx in children is more challenging than adults with differences in many aspects including the etiology of ESRD, the low circulatory volume and the more difficult maintenance of the extracellular fluid volume [2-3]. In many instances, the native kidneys express a significant risk to the future renal graft. Consequently, native nephrectomy (NN) is indicated in these cases. This will be associated with more challenges related to the fluid management and nutrition in these children. This article will review the different indications for NN, its subsequent effect in children prepared for RTx and the proper timing for nephrectomy in relation to RTx. The items covered in this mini-review are presented in Table 1. Table 1: Items covered in this minireview.