ABSTRACT
Introduction The success of the early postoperative period is largely dependent on the patient’s state of health prior to surgery, especially cardiovascular and nutritional status, and to the effects of antirejection therapy on both the kidney and the patient. While these factors remain important throughout the life of the transplant, the most significant risk to long term patient survival stems from cardiovascular disease, malignancy and infection. Cardiovascular death can reflect the results of prolonged uraemia and the need for renal replacement therapy pretransplant. Malignancy and infection relate to the effects of long term immunosuppression. As knowledge of the immune system increases, hopefully these problems will decline.
