Kidney transplantation in patients over 60 years of age.

Between 1972 and the end of 1978 kidney transplantation was performed on 39 patients over 60 years of age. In one case a kidney from a live donor was used. The other patients received cadaver kidneys. Patient and graft survival in this group of patients did not differ from the results obtained with younger age groups. 14 patients have died. The chief reasons for death were cardiac infarction and infection. The mortality rate was no higher among patients over 60 years than among younger groups. The results show that kidney transplantation can be performed successfully on patients of relatively advanced age.