
Transplant Journey
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Awaiting Transplantation
About the waitlist
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The waiting time can vary substantially between transplant centers and between different regions of the country. The best way to shorten the waiting time is to find a living donor. Another option is to consider listing at an additional center(s) where the wait time is shorter than where you are listed.
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It is important that you stay healthy and active. You can do this by following medical advice for dialysis-related issues and general medical issues. These include nutrition, exercise, and general health maintenance (body weight, cancer screening, vaccination, etc).
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You may require periodic testing while on the waiting list.
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You may require that you be seen in their clinic periodically while on their transplant waiting list.
Points to remember about kidney transplantation
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Kidney Transplant improves quality and quantity of life.
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Kidney Transplantation is not a life saving procedure.
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Kidney Transplantation can be done from a living donor or deceased donor (cadaver).
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Living donor transplantation is preferable over deceased donor transplantation.
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Kidney transplantation is not for all patients with kidney failure.
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Patient has to be listed and be in good health immediately prior to transplantation.
Facts about transplantation in USA
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Over 104,000 are listed for kidney transplantation.
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Approximately 2/3 of them are active and 1/3 inactive on the list
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Inactivity may be due to:
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acute medical and surgical issues
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awaiting test results
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lack of insurance
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patient's desire (personal reasons)
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About 6,500 living donor transplants and 16,500 deceased donor kidney transplants are performed each year in US.