Objectives of the course: The course offers gaining of knowledge regarding the immunology, the immunosuppression and the basic principles in solid organ transplantation, with emphasis to kidney, liver, pancreas, small bowel, heart and lung transplantation.

Contents of the course: History of Transplantation. Basic principles in transplantation immunobiology and immunosuppression. Methods of organ preservation. Pathophysiology of ischemia-reperfusion syndrome and clinical implications. Organ rejection. Kidney transplantation: causes of end stage kidney failure, immune response, patient selection, donors, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection. Liver transplantation: causes of end stage liver failure, patient selection, preoperative assessment, indications, donors, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection, HCC and liver transplantation. Pancreas transplantation: patient selection, preoperative assessment, indications, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection, simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation. Small bowel transplantation: short bowel syndrome, patient selection, preoperative assessment, indications, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection. Heart transplantation: patient selection, preoperative assessment, indications, donors, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection. Combined heart-lung transplantation. Lung transplantation: preoperative assessment, indications, donors, surgical technique, immunosuppression, postoperative complications, graft rejection.

Mode and outcomes of teaching: The course is taught in several lectures. At the same time, the students are responsible for the presentation of a recent scientific paper on an interesting topic of solid organ transplantation and this makes the course very interactive. The students have the opportunity to attend the multi-organ retrievals and the renal transplantations from cadaveric and living donors, which take place in theater, during the semester the course is taught. They are also encouraged to participate in the experimental work, which is related to solid organ transplantation, in the basic research center of the hospital. At the end of the course the students have gained good knowledge on transplant immunology and immunosuppression. They are also familiar with the indications and the results in solid organ transplantation.

Hours of training per student: 26

From the 8th Semester

ECTS: 2