[Pediatric organ transplantation]

Chirurgie. 1989;115(9):657-63.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Since we started our pediatric kidney transplant program in 1970, we advocate children's transplantation to be performed in pediatric surgery units. Recent progress in immuno-suppression with ciclosporine and in operative procedures lead us to extend the program to liver transplantations in 1986, then to heart and lung transplantations in 1988. The Pediatric Transplant Unit was designed to assume the pre-operative evaluation of the recipients and the post-operative course of transplanted patients, closely connected to all specialists dealing with medical and surgical diseases of children. 29 patients were transplanted (kidney: 8, liver: 14, heart: 1, lungs: 6) with a 83% overall survival rate. The goal of this paper is not to discuss and compare indications or results with others series. Through our experience of pediatric organ transplantation, we shall try to point out the main advantages of a Pediatric Transplantation Unit: it optimizes the management of the rare pediatric donnors, and allows better skill and efficiency of the numerous specialities concerned by organ transplantation, such as intensive care, infectiology, immunology, radiology... The common medical and para-medical staff, common operative theater, and common use of equipment in the same department for transplantation of different organs is also an important matter to be considered now in term of cost-effectiveness.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • France
  • Heart Transplantation
  • Hospital Departments / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Lung Transplantation
  • Pediatrics*
  • Surgery Department, Hospital / organization & administration*
  • Tissue Donors
  • Transplantation / methods*