As any new field in medicine develops, an the history of transplantation
and the current accompanying documentation occurs in a rea- status of
hemodialysis as it relates to trans- sonable and logical sequence. Early
in the de- plantation. In addition, the areas of tissue his to-
velopmental life of clinical transplantation, compatability typing,
patient evaluation, the many research articles and case reports were
transplant operation, immunosuppressive drugs, presented in the
literature, and shortly there- and follow-up investigations are well and
clearly after, a series of textbooks were published. documented, as are
the medical complications These textbooks dealt primarily with the per-
and the psychiatric and social problems en- sonal experiences of
clinicians working in the countered in kidney transplantation. major
centers, who were embarking in the new Although Dr. Chatterjee draws
primarily on field, as were Dr. Starzl, Dr. CaIne, Dr. Sim- his own
experiences, he fairly presents all the mons, and myself. This field of
investigation has issues in areas in which there is controversy or now
become an accepted clinical discipline, and differences of opinion. Most
major university thus it is highly desirable that a manual should
medical centers now have a clinical renal trans- be available for the
residents and house staff plantation service, and I feel that this
manual who will receive training in this important area. will be an
invaluable tool for their house staff In this manual, Dr. Satya N.
Chatterjee pre- and students alike.
