The position of renal transplantation in 1971

Abstract

Extract

The development of transplant surgery has been one of the success stories of the sixties — the excitement and scientific interest it has created have been considerable, and its progress particularly in the cardiac field has been spectacular. Its development has been an example of combined endeavour by research workers and clinicians in widely differing fields, rarely seen in medicine, and the progress resulting from such co-operation has been an example to all of us in whatever division or scientific discipline we may find ourselves. Although the role of cardiac transplantation has not yet been defined, renal transplantation has emerged from its experimental phase, and is now an established therapeutic tool. Whatever may be its imperfections, it is a clinical, fact as surely based as the science of blood transfusion, and however awkward we may find some of the social and ethical and legal problems it poses, we cannot ignore it.