[Psychodynamic aspects of patients undergoing dialysis treatment regarding the prospect of renal transplantation]. / Aspetti psicodinamici dei pazienti sottoposti a trattamento dialitico in rapporto alla prospettiva di trapianto renale.

The aim of the study was to identify what defence mechanisms are operative in hemodialysed subjects in regard to the prospect of renal transplantation. The study included twenty hemodialysed patients, ranging in age from 25 to 60, half of whom could not undergo renal transplantation. Ten healthy subjects were also included as a control group. From an analysis of the findings it is clear that different types of defence mechanisms operate in patients according to their hemodialysis status and that there is a more stereotyped use of these mechanisms in patients with no possibility of escape-except of death-seems to provoke rigid and stereotyped defence mechanisms in these patients.