Transplantation

This chapter outlines the relevant principles of basic transplant immunology, immunosuppression and rejection. The process of organ donation, allocation and transplant recipients are described. Transplantation of the heart and lungs, kidney, pancreas and islet, liver and small bowel are detailed.

Psychological benefits for children and adolescents who have undergone transplantation of the heart from participation in the British Transplant Games

The British Transplant Games are held annually for children and adults who have received transplanted organs. The aim of our pilot study was to determine whether participation in such an event had an impact on psychological well-being. We asked 26 children participating in the Games to complete a specifically designed questionnaire before and after the event. The 13 questions covered areas such as state of mood, perceived physical health, fatigue, anxiety, and confidence. There were mean improvements over time on 10 of the 13 questions, and the change in overall score was significant (p = .036). For the majority of young people, participation in the Transplant Games was associated with a positive impact on psychological functioning in the short term. Further evaluation is now required to determine whether such benefits are maintained in the longer term.