En bloc transplantation of infant and child cadaver kidneys to adult recipients.

From 1991 to 1992 eight child cadaveric kidneys were transplanted en block to adult recipients as part of a prospective study at The Mount Sinai Medical Center. Six of eight transplants came from infant donors less than two years of age. There were four technical complications. Two resulted in bilateral graft nephrectomy and return to dialysis, and two required unilateral graft nephrectomy with acceptable renal function from the single remaining kidney. At a mean follow-up of 11.8 months, overall graft survival is 75% with mean serum creatinine of 1.7 mg/dL. Of the infant transplants, 83% are functioning at a mean follow-up of 11.4 months. The average serum creatinine level for this group is 1.8 mg/dL. Our data support the use of en bloc child cadaveric kidneys, including infant donors less than two years of age. The use of this source increases the donor pool.