The Best of Both Worlds: Convenient and Comprehensive Pediatric Post-Transplant Care
Mass General Brigham provides Pat McCormick with integrated post-transplant pediatric care close to home. Read about his journey with chronic kidney disease.
Contact Information
165 Cambridge Street, Suite 301
Boston,
MA
02114
Phone: 617-724-1218
Fax: 617-643-3982
Email: mghkidneykids@mgb.org
Mass General for Children’s Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program combines deep pediatric expertise with innovative research. Our physicians collaborate across specialties to deliver cutting-edge treatments to patients.
Our experienced teams tailor comprehensive care to each child's needs. We understand the importance of continuity of care. Your child's dedicated nephrologist and team develop a deep understanding of their unique needs and guide them before, during, and after transplantation. The team walks alongside each child and family throughout their journey, building a lasting bond.
As part of the Mass General Transplant Center, we ensure this continuity extends as children transition into adulthood through our Pediatric to Adult Transplant Health (PATH) Transitions Program. We recognize that the transition from pediatric to adult transplant care is a high-risk time when patients are more likely to experience a rejection episode. The Legorreta Center for Clinical Transplant Tolerance is dedicated to preventing organ transplant rejection without the use of lifelong antirejection (immunosuppressant) drugs. Through this center, eligible pediatric candidates can participate in the delayed transplant tolerance protocol trial.
Whether your child is just starting the evaluation process or well into the transplant journey, these videos will support and inform you every step of the way.
Paul Fadakar, MD explains why some children need kidney transplants.
MGfC doctors describe transplant rejection and how to prevent it.
Our dedicated care team will provide evaluations within one to two weeks of referral receipt or appointment request, and from there the transplant journey will move forward at each patient’s pace.
Referral
Confirm information and plan first visits
Education
Introductory session with nurse and doctor
Evaluation
Consultation and testing with specialists
Listing
Child listed on United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) waitlist
Activation
Child activated on United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) national waitlist; surgery date scheduled
Transplant
Kidney offered, pre-operative testing conducted, and surgery planned at hospital
Recovery
Post-operative care in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) includes education on medication
After transplant
Ongoing care and support, follow-ups, and transition to adult care
Download a PDF of the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program Roadmap
Our Living Donation Program empowers individuals to give the gift of life through kidney or liver donation, offering comprehensive support and expert care to both donors and recipients, ensuring a smooth and rewarding donation process.
The EqKT Program is dedicated to addressing disparities in kidney transplantation by improving access to life-saving transplants for underserved populations, ensuring every patient has a fair chance at receiving the care they need.
The Legoretta Center for Clinical Transplant Tolerance focuses on innovative research and therapies aimed at achieving immune tolerance in transplant recipients, reducing or eliminating the need for lifelong immunosuppressive drugs while improving long-term transplant outcomes.
The GOAT Program is dedicated to supporting adult transplant recipients as they navigate life post-transplant, offering life skills training, health monitoring, and community support to help them thrive. Through tailored resources and ongoing guidance, the program ensures recipients continue to lead healthy, fulfilling lives after their transplant.
The PATH Transitions Program equips young kidney and liver transplant recipients with the education, coaching, and peer support needed to smoothly transition from pediatric to adult care. Tailored to meet the unique challenges of adolescence and young adulthood, the program ensures a seamless shift from Mass General for Children to adult transplant care at Mass General Transplant Center.
Kidney failure, or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), typically happens for different reasons in children than adults. The most common causes for pediatric kidney failure are:
The most common causes of pediatric kidney failure often depend on the child’s age:
Diagnosis of pediatric kidney failure is challenging. If the cause is hereditary or congenital, chronic kidney disease may be caught while your baby is in utero. For children, chronic kidney disease often does not cause distinct symptoms. If symptoms are present, they may include:
The Mass General for Children Nephrology Program has a network of locations throughout New England with opportunity for virtual appointments when appropriate. This kidney doctor will care for your child before, throughout, and following their transplant journey until they transition into adulthood.
The evaluation process includes medical, surgical, and psychosocial assessments, as well as lab and imaging tests. The pace of this evaluation is set by you, the parent. We work closely with families to ensure the child is ready for the transplant both emotionally and physically. Our team is always accessible and tailors care to each child's unique needs. The same doctor will care for your child before, during, and after the transplant, ensuring consistent and personalized care throughout the entire process.
The Mass General for Children Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program at Mass General Transplant Center performs kidney transplants on children of any age, as long as they meet the minimum size requirement. Our team evaluates each child individually, considering factors such as their size, weight, overall health, and medical condition(s) to determine if they are suitable candidates for transplantation.
Potential donors undergo a multi-phase evaluation including health screening, consultations with a living donor advocate, and final review to ensure their safety.
Yes, our Living Donor Program guides potential kidney donors through a thorough evaluation process. Living donation provides a quicker path to kidney transplantation with better outcomes.
The size of the kidney is one of many factors considered, and parents often successfully donate kidneys to their children. The size compatibility of kidney is one of many factors determined during the donor evaluation.
Wait times vary based on factors like blood type, how well the donor kidney matches your child, and whether your child has antibodies that might react to the new kidney. To get started, your child needs an evaluation with the multidisciplinary transplant team, which is scheduled within two weeks of receiving the referral or appointment request. Thereafter, we work at a pace that feels comfortable for your family. Contact us for more information at mghkidneykids@mgb.org or 617-724-1218.
Dialysis is a therapy for patients with end-stage kidney disease and can keep them alive while they are waiting for kidney transplantation, but not all children require dialysis before getting a kidney transplant. Whether or not a child needs to start dialysis prior to transplant surgery depends on their condition—the length of time they spend on dialysis depends on their age and when a kidney becomes available.
Your child’s doctor will determine if dialysis is needed or if your child can progress to transplant right away before ever needing dialysis, which is known as a pre-emptive transplant.
HLAs are proteins found on the surface of cells that serve as markers for the immune system to recognize the body’s own cells versus foreign substances. These markers pay an important role in the immune system’s ability to respond to potential threats, such as viral or bacterial infections.
Immunosuppressants, or antirejection medications, are drugs that weaken the body’s ability to attack a transplanted organ. This defense system is known as the immune system.
Children who undergo kidney transplantation often feel an improvement soon after surgery. As Mass General Transplant Center (or Mass General for Children) kidney transplant recipients stay in the hospital on average three to five days after surgery, depending on their individual case.
Before going home, your Mass General for Children transplant team will create an individualized care plan, prescribing your child medications to help manage their pain, avoid infection, and prevent kidney rejection. Immunosuppressants – medication to prevent organ rejection – is needed every day, and parents will work closely with our team to help their child manage this important part of their post-transplant care.
Children and their families get additional support through GOAT and PATH support programs.
Kidney transplant is the recommended and best treatment for children with end-stage kidney disease. At Mass General for Children, you and your child have access to the latest surgical techniques and a highly specialized, multidisciplinary team—this means that your child has an excellent chance for a much-improved quality of life and long-term survival following transplant surgery versus.
Most insurance plans cover the majority of transplant-related costs for the recipient. Our team helps families understand coverage details during the multidisciplinary evaluation with their dedicated care team.
The Pediatric to Adult Transplant Health (PATH) ensures a seamless experience as children who received an organ transplant transition to adult transplant care, minimizing disruptions during this high-risk period.
At Mass General for Children, your child will be cared for by a team of specialist experts in pediatric transplantation, including pioneers in the field. Our multidisciplinary staff includes pediatric transplant surgeons, infectious disease specialists, nephrologists, urologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, case managers, and nutritionists.
Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Transplant offers comprehensive evaluation and management of all disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract.
Learn what to expect when you come for surgery, including information about testing, anesthesia, clinic visits and more.
A new video explains what pediatric patients can expect during an emergency room visit and gives children insight into their health care experience.
Mass General Brigham provides Pat McCormick with integrated post-transplant pediatric care close to home. Read about his journey with chronic kidney disease.