Kidney transplantation in Erbil, Iraq: A single-center experience

• Main Author: Al-Bazzaz Pishtewan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2010-01-01
• Series: Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation
• Online Access: http://www.sjkdt.org/article.asp?issn=1319-2442;year=2010;volume=21;issue=2;spage=359;epage=362;aulast=Al-Bazzaz

Kidney transplantation is associated with improved quality of life and better survival among patients with end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study is to assess the experience of kidney transplant program in a single center in Erbil, Iraq. The records of 83 pairs, donors and reci-pients, treated with kidney transplantation at the Zheen Hospital in Erbil, over a two-year period were collected and analyzed. The mean donor age was 28.5 ± 7.34 years (range 19-49 years) and re-cipient age was 37.6 ± 14.9 years (range 12-66 years). The male to female ratio was 6.5:1 among donors and 3.2:1 among recipients. Among the 83 pairs studied, the donors and recipients were genetically related in seven cases (8.5%) and emotionally related in one case (1.2%). Delayed graft function was seen in 3.2% of cases and acute rejection in 5.3% of cases. Graft survival at six months was 88% while patient survival at the same period was 90%. In conclusion, even though experience related to kidney transplantation in Erbil is limited, the reported results are encouraging for a promising future.