The origin and development of Banff classification on allograft pathology and its effects in promoting organ transplantation

The Banff conference on allograft pathology (Banff conference) and the establishment of Banff classification on allograft pathology (Banff classification) are milestones in the development of international allograft pathology. At present, all organ transplantation centers around the world routinely perform pathological diagnosis by biopsy of the transplant kidney according to Banff classification. Subsequently, the consensus process and update mode of Banff classification for transplant kidney was quickly extended to transplant heart, lung, liver, pancreas, and small intestine, etc. The Banff conference has not only become a thematic meeting that includes the pathology study and discussion of various transplant organs, but also gradually developed unified diagnostic standard for the biopsy of each transplant organ, which better promoted the accurate diagnosis and treatment of complications after organ transplantation. This article summarized the history of international allograft pathology research, the Banff conference and Banff classification in promoting organ transplantation, which aimed to provide a reference for the smooth development of clinical organ transplantation.