Pediatric Kidney Transplantation

The Center for Pediatric Transplant and Advanced Kidney and Urologic Diseases

The multidisciplinary pediatric kidney transplant program crosses several specialties, with an integrated healthcare team comprised of transplant surgeons, pediatric nephrologists and pediatric urologists, as well as pediatricians, psychiatrists, nutritionists, social workers, and pharmacists. Using this team approach, the Center is able to provide continuity of care to patients and their families throughout the length of the child's illness and treatment, pre- and post-surgery. Patients and family members also receive comprehensive transplant counseling throughout the process from the decision to transplant through recovery. A transplant coordinator will manage appointments and testing so that patients and families receive seamless care from the physicians and health professionals they have come to know.

By applying new surgical techniques and approaches to expand the donor pool, the Center for Pediatric Transplant and Advanced Kidney and Urologic Diseases continues to make strides in pediatric kidney transplantation. The program is led by Dr. Sandip Kapur, the Jeanette and Jeffrey Lasdon Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs and Chief of the Division of Transplant surgery, who completed a fellowship in pediatric transplantation at the Children’s Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh. A very active Living Donor Program enables the Center to offer pre-emptive kidney transplantation (transplant prior to needing dialysis). The transplant team is also skilled in transplanting adult kidneys into children. These larger kidneys have more reserve and usually function better than pediatric donor kidneys.

In addition, leading edge therapies are used to help reduce the side effects of anti-rejection drugs, and we routinely use a medication protocol that avoids long-term use of steroids.

Visit the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Transplantation web site to learn more about pediatric kidney transplantation.