CHRONIC TRANSPLANTATION REJECTION

Course overview

TRANSPLANT REJECTION CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS HYPERACUTE, ACUTE, OR CHRONIC. HYPERACUTE REJECTION IS USUALLY CAUSED BY SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE GRAFT AND OCCURS WITHIN MINUTES OR HOURS AFTER GRAFTING. ACUTE REJECTION OCCURS DAYS OR WEEKS AFTER TRANSPLANTATION AND CAN BE CAUSED BY SPECIFIC LYMPHOCYTES IN THE RECIPIENT THAT RECOGNIZE HUMAN LEUKOCYTE ANTIGENS IN THE TISSUE OR ORGAN GRAFTED. FINALLY, CHRONIC REJECTION USUALLY OCCURS MONTHS OR YEARS AFTER ORGAN OR TISSUE TRANSPLANTATION. VARIOUS MECHANISMS INVOLVING CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, HUMORAL, AND CELLULAR IMMUNE REACTIONS PLAY ESSENTIAL ROLES IN THE IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF CHRONIC REJECTIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC TRANSPLANT REJECTIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS IN COLLABORATING TO PROVIDE WELL-COORDINATED CARE AND ENHANCE OUTCOMES FOR AFFECTED PATIENTS.