Kidney Transplant Program

Mayo Clinic doctors have experience in desensitization and conducting positive crossmatch kidney transplants. Mayo Clinic also has an active kidney paired donation program.

With a positive crossmatch transplant, you're not compatible with your kidney donor because your body has developed antibodies that react against your living-donor's organs and their cells.

With positive crossmatch kidney transplant, you receive medical treatment before and after your transplant to reduce your risk of antibodies rejecting the donor kidney. This treatment includes:

• Removing antibodies from your blood (plasmapheresis)
• Injecting antibodies into your body that protect you from infections (intravenous immunoglobulin)
• Injecting other medications that protect your new kidney from antibodies

Mayo Clinic researchers were among the first to develop treatments to remove antibodies and block their effects, which reduced the risk of rejection of a donor kidney.

Researchers continue to study the effects of antibodies after transplant and potential treatments to lower antibody levels. The goal of research is to prevent rejection of a donor kidney.