Transplant complications

Background

• Transplanted organ frequency: kidney > liver > heart > lung > pancreas > other (combined and intestines)
  • First solid organ transplant was in 1954 (kidney)
• Most transplant patients require lifelong immunosuppression
• Types of emergencies
  • transplant-related infection
  • medication side effects
  • rejection
  • graft-versus-host disease
  • postoperative complications and complications of altered physiology secondary to the transplanted organ
• Often transplant patients present with common medical problems but require unique management due to their altered physiology