The influence of preoperative pension on vocational rehabilitation following renal transplantation.

The vocational rehabilitation and the influence of sick‐leave and disability pension have been studied in 88 recipients of primary renal grafts. These 88 were left for study after exclusion from 150 consecutive recipients of renal grafts operated upon between 1965 and 1969 in Gothenburg. Of the 88 patients 64 were living with functioning grafts during the postoperative months 20–25. Of the 52 non‐pensioned patients in this period 43 were rehabilitated vocationally and 9 were still on sick‐leave. Eight of these 9 had returned to employment within the next 12 months. The vocational rehabilitation of the preopsratively pensioned patients in this study was nonexistent. Of 12 preoperatively pensioned patients 9 had functioning grafts in the postoperative months 20–25 and had a high degree of medical rehabilitation. Preventive rehabilitation to avoid this discrepancy between medical and vocational rehabilitation should start in the preuremic state, continue during maintenance dialysis and result in a high degree of medical and vocational rehabilitation after a successful transplantation.