Pre-emptive renal transplantation.

We report our experience with pre-emptive renal transplantation and review the literature. While eliminating the cost, complications and inconvenience of dialysis, transplantation prior to dialysis therapy can be performed safely and effectively as it does not pose any additional immunological hazards to allograft outcome. It is safe regardless of the immunosuppressive agents employed and is successful without early rejection even in the nonuremic state.