Use of Defunctionalized Bladders in Pediatric Renal Transplantation

Congenital urinary tract anomalies are common causes of renal insufficiency and failure in children. Frequently, the hydroureteronephrosis and/or bladder damage from previous reconstructive procedures is so severe that supravesical diversion is required. Renal transplantation in these cases is sometimes avoided because of implied urologic and infectious complications, and the early loss of the homograft. Nevertheless, newer techniques have been developed for transplantation in patients with end stage renal disease and defunctionalized bladders. Herein is described the use of defunctionalized bladders as receptors of renal homografts in 5 of 42 transplant recipients seen during the last 4 years.