Kidney Transplant Usage

A kidney transplant is done to replace a kidney that is no longer working and cannot be fixed. It may also be done if the kidney has been removed (eg, as cancer treatment). Kidney transplant is only needed if both kidneys are not working. The kidneys fail most often for the following reasons:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Interstitial nephritis
• Glomerulonephritis
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Damage from severe pyelonephritis (inflammation in the kidney, often due to bacterial infection)

More than 90% of transplanted kidneys from deceased donors remain working after one year. The success rate often improves with a kidney from a living donor.