ABSTRACT
After the major advances in effective immunosuppression and organ pres ervation in the early 1980s, there was an exponential increase in the number of transplant procedures and transplant centers. Anesthesiologists had to learn quickly how to care for these patients with organ failure and allow these complex proce dures to be performed without further insults to other organs of the recipient. After these hectic years, organ transplants became more common procedures in these institutions, with anesthesiologists better prepared. Thus, after the initial development of anesthetic protocols, we have seen more delicate refinements in these anesthetic techniques. Anesthetic improvements are based on better understanding of the pathophysiology of organ failure and surgical proce dures, but success can only be attained by paying attention to countless details. This chapter summarizes the anesthetic management for liver, heart, lung, kidney, and pancreas transplantation.
