Pre-Transplant Candidate Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real CCTC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pre-Transplant Candidate Evaluation flashcards as text
A candidate for kidney-pancreas transplant has Type 1 diabetes with a hemoglobin A1c of 11.2%. What does this finding suggest about transplant candidacy?
Answer: Poor glycemic control may indicate need for optimization and assessment of end-organ complications
Markedly elevated A1c suggests poor glycemic control and prompts further evaluation of diabetes-related complications that affect surgical risk and outcomes.
During pre-transplant evaluation, serologic testing reveals the candidate is HCV antibody positive. After direct-acting antiviral treatment, HCV RNA is undetectable. How does this affect listing?
Answer: Sustained virologic response (SVR) after antiviral treatment generally does not preclude transplant listing
Achieving SVR with current direct-acting antivirals effectively cures HCV, and cured patients are generally eligible for transplant listing under standard criteria.
A transplant candidate being evaluated for kidney transplant has a documented history of multiple episodes of medical non-compliance resulting in hospitalizations. How should the transplant team approach this?
Answer: Conduct thorough psychosocial assessment, identify barriers to adherence, and develop a plan before listing
Non-adherence is a modifiable risk factor; a thorough psychosocial workup to understand barriers and develop support plans is the standard approach before a listing decision.
What is the purpose of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in pre-transplant evaluation for heart or lung transplant candidates?
Answer: To objectively assess functional capacity and predict perioperative risk and post-transplant outcomes
The 6MWT provides an objective measure of functional exercise capacity that correlates with disease severity, waitlist mortality, and post-transplant rehabilitation potential.
A 65-year-old kidney transplant candidate has no history of colon cancer but has never had a colonoscopy. What is the standard recommendation before listing?
Answer: Age-appropriate cancer screening including colonoscopy should be completed prior to transplant listing
Pre-transplant evaluation requires completion of all age-appropriate cancer screenings, including colonoscopy, because immunosuppression after transplant can accelerate undetected malignancies.
Which finding would most likely lead to a thorough neurological evaluation before kidney transplant listing in an elderly candidate?
Answer: Cognitive impairment identified on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Cognitive impairment raises concerns about the candidate's ability to manage complex post-transplant medication regimens and informed consent capacity.
A patient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is being evaluated for kidney transplant and has massively enlarged kidneys causing abdominal discomfort and recurrent infections. What surgical consideration arises?
Answer: Native nephrectomy may be required to create adequate space for the transplanted kidney
Massively enlarged polycystic kidneys can occupy retroperitoneal space needed for the transplanted organ, making pretransplant or simultaneous native nephrectomy necessary.