End-stage renal disease patients: referral for transplantation.

Abstract

Patients who receive kidney transplants have a higher quality of life, a less costly form of therapy, and less risk of death than those who are treated with dialysis. This success of transplantation and a simultaneous lack of success in increasing the number of cadaveric organ donors has created a supply-demand crisis. The United Network of Organ Sharing has attempted to develop a fair allocation system for placing patients on waiting lists for kidney transplantation. An increase in the number of organs available would allow physicians to transplant patients earlier in the time frame of their chronic disease.