How to Learn More About Kidney Transplants

According to the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are about 40,000 people awaiting a kidney transplant at any given time. Here is some key information about kidney transplants and tips on where to find more information.

Instructions

• 1

  Know that if you need a kidney transplant because of end-stage renal failure you will be placed on the UNOS waiting list.

• 2

  Realize that your medical and psychosocial status will be reviewed regularly and may affect your placement on the UNOS list.

• 3

  Keep in mind that patients on the UNOS list are evaluated and treated without consideration of wealth, status, gender or race.

• 4

  Know that Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance companies cover most of the cost of kidney transplantation. The average cost is $51,000.

• 5

  Consider that the waiting list for a cadaveric kidney is up to three years.

• 6

  Consider a living donor. About 30 percent of all transplanted kidneys come from living, compatible relatives and nonrelatives.

• 7

  Understand that, to qualify for a kidney transplant because of renal disease, your kidneys must be operating at no more than 15 percent of normal capacity.

• 8

  Be assured that the rejection rate for kidney transplants has fallen dramatically. Rejections are less severe, occur later and are more likely to be treated successfully than had been in the past. Kidney transplants have a success rate between 80 percent and 97 percent.