Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) announced today that its kidney transplant program has performed the most living donor kidney transplants ever in a fiscal year. CHOP credits the milestone in part to its involvement with the National Kidney Registry through a partnership with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine), which provides CHOP access to a large pool of potential living kidney donors.
For children who need a kidney transplant, a live kidney donation - one that comes from a living person -- is considered optimal for the long-term health and well-being of pediatric patients. In addition, the wait time for the transplant is much shorter, which means surgery can be planned before a patient requires dialysis. Receiving a kidney from a living donor also reduces the time between procurement of the organ and transplantation
"CHOP is one of only a few pediatric transplant centers in the country involved with the NKR," said Sandra Amaral, MD, MHS, Medical Director of CHOP's Kidney Transplant Program. "The registry allows families with living donors who do not match their recipients the opportunity to pair with living donors around the country, increasing access to suitable transplant for multiple patients."
Penn Medicine already plays a role in CHOP's kidney transplant process by evaluating all potential living donors, since all donors are adults. In addition, Penn Medicine draws on its longstanding relationship with the NKR and lists organ donors on the registry. If there is a match, CHOP and Penn will review and collaborate on the organ transplantation process.
"A healthy, well-matched organ donor plays a crucial role in the longevity of kidney function, which is especially important in pediatric patients," said Matthew Levine, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery at Penn Medicine, and Surgical Director of the Transplant Center & Primary Surgeon of Kidney Transplantation at CHOP. "A healthy first kidney transplant that endures into adulthood can offer substantial benefits, such as enhanced growth, better cardiovascular health, and significantly improved quality and duration of life."
CHOP's Kidney Transplant Program provides comprehensive care for infants, children and adolescents diagnosed with kidney failure. Since its inception in 1992, the program has performed more than 500 kidney transplants, with outcomes among the best in the nation.
