title: Graft failure and graft nephrectomy without severe complications.
abstract: The courses of 34 graft failures leading to graft nephrectomy in 19 patients were examined retrospectively. Cyclosporin (CsA) was the sole immunosuppressive in 70% of the cases, and azathioprine-prednisolone in 30%. Having diagnosed graft failure, the immunosuppressive treatment was continued for about 2-3 months and then tapered slowly. No deaths related to graft failure were recorded. In three cases a delay in graft nephrectomy caused complications such as sepsis and coagulopathy. We conclude that continuing immunosuppression a few months after having diagnosed graft failure may postpone or avoid graft nephrectomy while steroid withdrawal symptoms do not complicate the course at the time of graft failure.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*