Pediatric patients develop kidney disease requiring transplant due to numerous underlying causes.
The most common causes include those related to birth defects in the kidneys/genitourinary tract, familial/inherited disease, nephrotic syndrome, or systemic diseases such as lupus, hypertension or diabetes.
Read more about these causes of kidney diseases here.
As many as one in four children who need a kidney transplant have a pre-existing problem with the urologic system. These include children with:
- Posterior urethral valves (extra flaps of tissue that grow over a boy's urethra)
- Anorectal malformations (abnormalities)
- Cloacal disorders
- Neurogenic bladder (lack of bladder control due to a brain, spinal cord, or nerve condition)
These disorders can lead to serious kidney disease in early childhood. They are often diagnosed in unborn infants during prenatal care. Our pediatric urologists and transplantation surgeons work together to meet each child's needs before transplant, performing surgery that may enhance the chance of a successful outcome after transplantation by correcting anatomical abnormalities before the transplant.