ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation

The Law Concerning Human Organ Transplantation which came into effect on October 16, 1997 was intended to facilitate organ transplantation for patients with otherwise untreatable cardiac and hepatic diseases in Japan. However, no organ transplantation from brain-dead patients has been performed since this law was enacted. The number of corneal and kidney transplants has not increased, either. Consequently, we have continued to perform ABO-incompatible kidney transplants from living donors. Mie need to continue to utilize all potential sources of donor organs. All this time, ABO-incompatible kidney transplant has been performed in about 300 patients in Japan. This paper discusses the clinical implication of this type of transplantion and reviews the therapeutic outcome obtained so far.