Comparing Dialysis & Transplants
- Kidney transplants are considered to be a long term solution to kidney failure, however, there are several disadvantages to kidney transplants, including:
- Even with tissue typing, there will always be some immune response to the new kidney; this has to be suppressed by taking immunosuppressant drugs which can leave the patient vulnerable to infections
- There are not enough donors to cope with demand, so dialysis keeps patients healthy while they wait for a suitable donor
- The average person with kidney disease in the UK spends 2-3 years on the waiting list before being matched with an appropriate organ
- If a healthy, tissue-matched kidney is available then the benefits of a transplant include:
- The patient has much more freedom as they are not tied to long dialysis sessions several times a week
- Machines can also be difficult to access, meaning that patients often need to travel long distances for dialysis sessions
- After a transplant, a patient's diet no longer needs to be restricted, as it is during dialysis
- Long-term use of dialysis machines is very expensive, so a transplant removes this cost
- A kidney transplant is a long-term solution whereas dialysis needs to be repeated frequently
- Kidney donor schemes exist to help to match donors and recipients, increasing the chances of finding a successful match
- The patient has much more freedom as they are not tied to long dialysis sessions several times a week
