Who needs a kidney transplant?
A kidney transplant is needed by some individuals with advanced CKD (Stage 5). This is also called end-stage renal failure (ESRF); where the kidneys have lost nearly all their ability to function – and wastes and excess fluids in the blood cannot be removed effectively from the body.
Are all patients who have a transplant on dialysis?
No. About 2/3 of people who have a kidney transplant are on dialysis. Individuals undergoing dialysis may be candidates for a kidney transplant. About 25% of people on dialysis are suitable for a transplant. For these patients, a transplant is the best way they can return to a good quality of life.
It is a big operation, and strong drugs are used to suppress the immune system after the transplant, to prevent rejection of the kidney (immunosuppression). So older, frailer people (especially those with a bad heart or lungs, or cancer) are often not suitable for a transplant.
About 1/3 have a transplant before they need dialysis (‘pre-dialysis’). This is the optimum way of having a transplant.
How many people need a kidney transplant?
In the UK, there are currently nearly 7000 people waiting for a deceased donor kidney transplant (DDTx), with an average wait time of around 3 years. In some areas of the UK, the average wait is 18 months or less.
The average wait time varies significantly based on individual factors like blood type, tissue type, age, and location relative to the donor. A living donor kidney transplant (LTx) can significantly shorten this wait to just a few months.
The waiting list is not a simple queue but a complex matching system, where points are awarded based on multiple criteria to determine the most suitable recipient for an available kidney.
Who does not need a kidney transplant?
- People with a rapid onset of kidney failure (Acute Kidney Injury, AKI) do not need a kidney transplant. It will not work or help
- Most people with CKD. Most have less severe levels of CKD (Stages 1-3) and most of these people will never need a kidney transplant
- People with kidney stones, cancer or urinary tract infections (UTIs).
