Kidney Transplant CriteriaKidney transplant criteria encompasses a number of elements. Before a kidney transplant surgery can be performed, there must be adequate preparation and planning, to maximize the chances of a successful operation. Let us look at the criteria for a kidney transplant, for both the patient (recipient) and the kidney donor.
Kidney Transplant Criteria - for Recipient Not all cases of renal failure requires a kidney transplant... only patients who have been diagnosed with chronic end stage renal disease. This is the most severe stage of kidney failure, where the kidneys have suffered irreversible damage and can no longer perform their function. Usually, it takes a long time for a patient with chronic renal failure to develop end stage renal disease. Diagnosis of this condition is done by a doctor after he or she has performed a series of kidney function tests, over an extended period of time. If a patient is diagnosed with end stage renal disease, the doctor may recommend a kidney transplant, if the patient meets the kidney transplant criteria. Firstly, the patient's health has to be assessed. The patient must be in satisfactory physical condition before undergoing a transplant operation. A doctor may be hesitant to recommend a kidney transplant to someone who has another life-threatening disease such as heart failure. It all depends on whether the doctor believes that the patient can survive a kidney transplant surgery, and whether such a surgery will improve the patient's overall health condition. Kidney transplant criteria also include consideration of the recipient's age. Some statistic suggest that the rate of successful kidney transplant among older patients (over 75 years), tend to be lower than those below the age of 75 years. Ultimately though, the doctor must consider the patient's overall physical health, and whether a kidney transplant may result in an improved quality of life for the patient. Apart from the medical and physical factors which must be considered before a kidney transplant, there are also financial and logistical considerations. It is important for a patient to be aware of the cost of a kidney transplant surgery, including the cost of hospitalization and other post surgery care, such as dietitian's services and dialysis. Depending on where you live, you may have to travel to another country for the surgery, if it is not performed in the country of residence. Transportation and accommodation must also be considered. After all relevant considerations, if a patient is recommended for a kidney transplant then the doctor performs a variety of tests to determine the patient's blood and tissue type, for matching with a potential donor. The matching of blood and other tissue between recipient and donor reduces the risk of kidney rejection. Finally, of all the kidney transplant criteria previously mentioned, perhaps the most important is the availability of a donated kidney. The requirement for kidney transplants continues to increase while the availability of donated kidneys is not enough to supply the demand. Often, a patient's best prospect of obtaining a donated kidney is from a close relative of friend.
Kidney Transplant Criteria - for a Donor The criteria for a donor depends on whether the donor is living or deceased (dead). The only two kidney transplant criteria for a deceased donor are that the donated kidney must be healthy and the blood and tissue profiles must be similar to the recipient. The kidney transplant criteria for a living donor are similar to those of a deceased donor... the donated kidney must be healthy and the blood and tissue profile must be similar. Additionally, the physical health of a living donor must also be assessed. Similar to the recipient, they must be in satisfactory physical health to successfully endure a transplant operation. From Kidney Transplant Criteria to HOME PAGE
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