Surgical Aspects of Kidney Transplantation

Kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease. This review discusses the surgical aspects of kidney transplantation in detail, beginning with the important features of the preoperative evaluation of a potential transplant recipient. We then explain in detail the technical aspects of living donor nephrectomy and kidney transplantation and provide guidance for managing variability in donor organ anatomy. Immediate postoperative management of the kidney transplant patient is briefly discussed. Finally, this review addresses the important postoperative complications to be aware of in the kidney transplant patient and management strategies, as well as outcomes of kidney transplantation. Key words: chronic kidney disease, deceased donor transplantation, delayed graft function, kidney transplant, living donor nephrectomy, living donor transplantation, lymphocele, renal artery stenosis, transplant workup, urologic complications