Pretransplant Evaluation
Your child will need to go through an evaluation process. The evaluation will give a clear picture of your child's overall health and also help in determining whether kidney transplantation is truly the best option.
The pretransplant evaluation, which is coordinated through our transplant office, is usually done on an outpatient basis. You can help make this process easier by reviewing the information below.
Please make sure:
- You have a copy of your child's immunization records. Check with your child's primary care provider on obtaining any further immunizations, if needed.
- Your child has visited the dentist within the last year.
- Your child has seen an optometrist or ophthalmologist within the last year.
- Your child has had a tuberculosis test (also called a PPD) performed by his or her primary care doctor within the last year.
You'll attend the following meetings:
- Family meeting to discuss the transplant with the transplant kidney doctor, transplant surgeon and transplant coordinator.
- Family meeting with the social worker and psychologist to discuss transplant issues.
- Financial/insurance meeting with the Department of Social Work to make sure you're aware of the many different resources available to you when your child receives a kidney transplant.
- Educational session with the transplant coordinator.
Your child will undergo:
- Blood tissue typing and crossmatch (we need this information to find a compatible kidney for your child).
Depending on what the transplant team decides at or after the family meeting, your child may also need the following evaluations:
- Urology
- Cardiology
- Pulmonary
- Orthopaedic
- Other evaluations, as needed
If the team determines a kidney transplant is appropriate for your child, the search for a new kidney will begin. A kidney may come from a living donor or a deceased donor.
Get more information:
- Living Donor Kidney Transplant
- The Kidney Transplant Waiting List
- Follow-up Care
- Resources and Links
Reviewed by: Bernard S. Kaplan, MB, BCh, FAAP
Date: July 2005
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