Every year atleast 1 out of 65,000 children experience ESRD . This is the end stage renal disease which had no cure until 1950s but now it is treated with a Kidney Transplantation procedure which is the primary method of treating this deadly disease of ESRD.
Management of end-stage renal disease in US children aged 0-19 years by age group. Data from US Renal Data Systems, 2008.
Some children who suffer with chronic kidney disease will likely have several transplants throughout their lifetime. Children can experience kidney problems for different reasons. Progressive kidney failure is the most dangerous one and hinders a child to lead a normal healthy life. This is when the child requires a transplant and dialysis will not suffice his or her condition.
The success rate of a pediatric kidney transplant is 50% , which means that 50% of the children live with a kidney transplant for atleast 14 years but unfortunately the other 50% require a re-transplant or switch back to dialysis.
Examples of complications leading to earlier than expected graft loss are:
- Rejection of the transplanted kidney by the recipient’s immune system, often leading to loss of graft function despite aggressive “rescue” (anti-rejection) treatment;
- Return of the original disease in the graft after transplantation.
When this happens, the recipient needs another (live) kidney transplant or has to remain on dialysis until another, suitable donor kidney becomes available.
Pediatric kidney transplant is an ultimate treatment for failed kidney functions in children but how successful is it; we still have to figure that out.
