Pediatric Kidney Transplant

We are one of the few pediatric programs in the region to offer incompatible-blood-type living donor transplants. This makes living kidney donor transplants possible when the blood types of the donor and recipient do not match.

As one of the nation’s leading research centers in pediatrics, transplant medicine, and immunology, we offer access to the most current research findings. As a patient at Duke, your child may be eligible to participate in ongoing clinical trials specifically relevant to children undergoing kidney transplant.

We have significant experience performing multi-organ transplants, including pediatric liver-kidney and heart-kidney transplants as well as lung, small bowel, and pancreas transplants.

Your pediatric kidney transplant coordinator -- a nurse with special training and experience in pediatric kidney transplant care -- will guide you through the transplant process. They will schedule your child’s evaluation, educate you and your family about kidney transplant, help manage your child’s appointments, coordinate travel arrangements and housing, and more. They are available to answer your questions around the clock. 

Our dedicated pediatric kidney transplant team includes pediatric kidney doctors (transplant nephrologists), transplant surgeons, pediatric urologists, pediatric anesthesiologists, infectious disease experts, nurse coordinators, psychologists, child life specialists, transplant social workers, and dietitians. We also collaborate with other Duke specialists to address all your child’s medical needs. 

For any transplant-related questions or concerns, a pediatric transplant coordinator is available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. In addition, a pediatric kidney transplant doctor is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for any needs that arise.

We understand that your child’s kidney transplant journey is stressful for your entire family. We offer a variety of services to support you, your child, and your family through the process. For instance, our child life program helps your child cope with hospitalization through play, procedure preparation, and opportunities for self-expression. Our Hospital School allows children to continue their academic development and keep up with their studies while undergoing medical treatment.

If your child is an adolescent, we partner with our adult kidney transplant program to help them make the transition to adult care. Because getting teens to adhere to their medication regimens is a key factor in avoiding teen and young-adult kidney transplant failure, we emphasize, teach, and empower self-care.