Kidney Transplantation in Children – What are the Criteria for Kidney Transplantation in Children

Kidney Transplantation in Children

Renal failure slows down development and growth in children. For these reasons, the treatment of renal failure becomes much more important. The fact that children undergoing dialysis treatment are different from their peers also creates additional problems in the child.

During this period, children’s education may also be disrupted. Kidney transplantation should be performed as early as possible by evaluating cadaver and living options in pediatric patients. In pediatric patients, the donor is mostly the mother or father.

With the spread of successful results in kidney transplantation in adults, kidney transplantation practices have become widespread in children. The reasons that prevent kidney transplantation in children are mostly cancer and persistent infection.

Mental res backwardness does not interfere with kidney transplantation in children. After transplantation, improvement in mental state can also be observed. Children’s development accelerates after kidney transplantation.

It is important that the kidney to be attached to the little boy is compatible with the child’s weight. A child over 20 kilos can take an adult kidney.

If children under twenty kilograms are fitted with an adult kidney, it adversely affects the child’s circulatory system. Feeding (perfusion) of the kidneys and other organs is not enough.

In children under 10 kilograms, it is necessary to attach a child’s kidney suitable for their body structure. Otherwise, thrombosis develops in the attached kidney and is disabled.

Unlike adults, kidney failure in children can be caused by lower urinary system disorder such as valves in the urinary tract, urine escaping back from the bladder to the kidney, recurrent infection.

Therefore, the lower urinary system should be evaluated in detail before kidney transplantation in children.

Treatments for the correction of the system should be carried out before transplantation. In children with severe bladder problems, urinary diversion should be done first, kidneys and then inserted.

Paediatric nephrologists are also included in the kidney transplantation team in children. Children’s dialysis should also be performed at the center where kidney transplantation will be performed in children. Equipment suitable for this organization must be available.
Surgically, in children under ten kilograms, the kidney is inserted into the sun, and in those over thirty kilograms, the kidney is attached to the groin veins. In children between ten and thirty kilograms, the place of insertion of the kidney is determined according to the size of the kidney to be inserted and the body structure of the recipient.

Regular drug use after kidney transplantation in children is also an issue to be considered. Mothers or first care providers should be trained in this regard.

When the child undergoes a kidney transplant, he or she can stop taking medications when he or she has gone through puberty. The psychologist of the kidney transplant team should be in close contact with the child patient during adolescence.

It becomes important because it can result in disruption of drug use, awakening of immunization and loss of graft. After kidney transplantation in children, the education of the family should be carried out and closely monitored. When adolescence is overcome without problems, the period of young adulthood can be relatively harmonious.