Kidney transplantation is an ideal treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Circulating alloantibodies against donor human leukocyte antigens and blood group antigens can impair allografts, shorten allograft survival, and limit access to kidney transplantation. Furthermore, the presence of donor specific antibodies is associated with increased incidence of antibody-mediated rejection and decreased graft survival following transplantation. Plasmapheresis, an extracorporeal therapy directed at removing plasma proteins that has been found to minimize the effects of perioperative sensitization in kidney transplantation. Plasmapheresis enables transplantation across the barrier of ABO blood group incompatibility. In addition, it is also an important approach for the treatment of antibody-mediated rejection. Therefore, studying the application of plasmapheresis in perioperative period of kidney transplantation is expected to increase the chance of transplantation and improve the outcomes following transplantation. This article introduces the application of plasmapheresis in the perioperative period of kidney transplantation.
