Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:972-982
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatric aspects of organ transplantation [published erratum appears in Am J Psychiatry 1989 Nov;146(11):1523]
OS Surman
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Technical advances in surgery and the new antirejection agents cyclosporine
and muromonab-CD3 have led to improved outcome for organ transplantation.
Allograft rejection and complications of immunosuppressant therapy are
often associated with considerable stress, so availability of psychiatric
consultation is a necessity. As a transplant team consultant, the
psychiatrist treats perioperative anxiety, depression, and organic brain
dysfunction and addresses medical and ethical aspects of patient selection.
Studies indicate that many patients with psychopathological conditions have
good postoperative results and that most living kidney donors participate
spontaneously and consider donation a positive experience.
