Liver and kidney transplantation during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A single center experience

Purpose: Introduction: Beginning of this year, when the Covid-19 pandemic has first started, it had the immediate effect of severely reducing living and deceased organ donation and transplantation activity worldwide. Our early experience showed that neither hemodialysis nor transplant patients have got infected with Covid-19 higher than the normal population. While it seems obvious that life-saving transplant activity should not be stopped, it should be tailored with careful selection of both donors and recipients within transparency and considering ethical and legal aspects. Methods: Materials and Methods: With the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, many studies have indicated that elective surgeries including transplantation should be postponed. However, according to our study results, we decided to continue our transplant activities in a controlled manner at our centers located in 3 different cities. From March 1 2020 to December 30, 2020, we performed 69 kidney transplants (58 adults, 11 pediatrics) and 21 liver transplants (8 adults, 13 pediatrics). All recipients were given a routine immunosuppressive protocol. We reviewed the medical records of both recipients and donors, PCR tests have been carried out twice before transplantation, and they were screened with thoracic CT. Results: Results: Kidney transplants were performed from 67 living related and 2 deceased donors and liver transplants were performed from 20 living related and 1 deceased donors. Out of 69 kidney transplants, 68 patients are alive with normal kidney function and 1 patient died to due to cardiac problem. Out of 21 liver transplants, 20 patients are alive with normal liver function and 1 patient died due to cardiac oxalosis. During this period, no patients died due to Covid-19 pandemic, both recipients and donors were discharged successfully. Only one patient has got infected with Covid-19 and has recovered. Conclusions: Conclusions: Our results show that when precautions are taken, transplant does not pose a risk to patients during the pandemic period. The safety and success of our transplantation activities lies in our newly developed protocol in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.