Kidney and pancreas transplant candidacy.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Kidney and/or pancreas transplantation candidacy criteria have evolved significantly over time reflecting improved pre and post-transplant management. With improvement in medical care, potential candidates for transplant not only are older but also have complex medical issues. This review focuses on the latest trends regarding candidacy for kidney and/or pancreas transplantation along with advances in pretransplant cardiac testing. RECENT FINDINGS: More candidates are now eligible for kidney and/or pancreas transplantation owing to less stringent candidacy criteria especially in regards to age, obesity, frailty and history of prior malignancy. Pretransplant cardiovascular assessment has also come a long way with a focus on less invasive strategies to assess for coronary artery disease. SUMMARY: Criteria for kidney and/or pancreas transplantation are expanding. Patients who in the past might have been declined because of numerous factors are now finding that transplant centers are more open minded to their candidacy, which could lead to better access to organ transplant wait list.