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Kidney transplants
are the second most common transplant operation in the United States
(over 14,000 cases per year - cornea transplants are first). Compared
to heart, lung, or liver transplants, it is an easier and less complicated
operation.
The United Network
for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the
private organization that runs the US transplant system under a
contract with the federal government.
Despite continuing
advances in medicine and technology, the demand for kidneys drastically
outstrips the number of donors. In October 2002, there were 53,000
persons on waiting lists for kidney transplants in the US.
There are two
types of kidney transplantation: cadaveric and living donor. Cadaver
organs are distributed to those on a waiting list based on criteria
set forth by UNOS. Live donor transplantation has become increasingly
common, due in large part to the success of the procedure and the
shortage of cadaveric organs. Living donation allows the immediate
transplantation of kidneys into recipients so operations can be
scheduled electively once a suitable living donor has been identified.
This avoids the long waiting times encountered with cadaveric donation.
A new procedure, the laparoscopic nephrectomy, has greatly reduced
the trauma and recovery period for a living donor.
Kidney transplant
recipients usually must take immunosuppressants, or anti-rejection
drugs, for the rest of their lives. Medicare coverage for these
medications is currently limited to three years, but federal legislation
has been introduced to extend coverage. Immunosuppressant medications
run on average between $1,000 - $1,200 monthly.
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Proposed
System for Transplant Kidney Allocation Contains Bias against Most Diabetics
- Article by Dr. Stephen Ponder from Corpus Christi Caller Times. - January
19, 2012
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The
Bioethics of Denying Patients Organ Transplants - Audio program from
The Takeaway. - January 18, 2012
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New
Jersey Parents Say Mentally Disabled Girl, Three, Denied Kidney Transplant;
Experts Say Situation Is Complex - Articles from The Washington Post
and AP.
Blog posting from BioEdge.
- January 17, 2012
Also see: 15,000
Demand Transplant for Mentally Delayed Child
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Australia
Hits Record Number of Organ Donors: Risks of Living Organ Donation
- Article from International Business Times. - January 17, 2012
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'Team
Amelia' Backs Kidney Transplant for Special Needs Child - Article
from USA Today. - January 16, 2012
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Quality
of Life and Protein Energy Wasting in Kidney Transplant Recipients
- Online First Abstract from International Urology and Nephrology. - January
14, 2012
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Reversal
of Diabetic Nephropathy: Lessons from Pancreas Transplantation - Article
in Press abstract from Journal of Nephrology. - January 13, 2012
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Nurse
Donates Own Kidney to Patient in Need - Press release from Emory Healthcare.
- January 13, 2012
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Deceased
Donor Transplantation Rates Declining in US - Article from Renal &
Urology News. - January 13, 2012
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Thousands
of Seniors Lack Access to Lifesaving Organs, Despite Survival Benefit
- Press release from Johns Hopkins Medicine. - January 12, 2012
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After
Financial Incentives Are Introduced, Israel See Dramatic Increase in Organ
Transplants in 2011 - Article from Haaretz.com. - January 12, 2012
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First
Do no Harm: The Living Renal Donor Dilemma - Dr. Brenda Mayne's Story
- Blog posting by Dr. Peter Laird from HemoDoc. - January 10, 2012
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Incidence
and Consequences of Acute Kidney Injury in Kidney Transplant Recipients
- Article in Press Abstracts from American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
- January 9, 2012
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Kidney
Trade: Sell an Organ, Become Worse Off - Article from The Express
Tribune. - January 2, 2012
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Three
arrested for peddling miracle stem cell cure - Article from Reuters.
- January 2, 2012
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For
Some In Need, Facebook Is Route To New Kidney - January 1, 2012
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The
Living Kidney Donor Evaluation: Focus on Renal Issues - CJASN Express
Abstracts - January 2012
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Hawaii
Medical Center's Closure Leaves Hundreds of Transplant Hopefuls in Limbo
- Honolulu Star-Advertiser article via InsuranceNewsNet.com. - December
23, 2011
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Give
a Kidney for Christmas! Should We Pay Donors? - (Registration required,
but free.) Video blog by Dr. Jeffrey Berns on Medscape Nephrology. - December
23, 2011
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The
First Kidney Transplant - December 23, 1954 - Blog posting from The
Kidney Doctor. - December 23, 2011
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Correction
of Postkidney Transplant Anemia Reduces Progression of Allograft Nephropathy
- JASN Express Abstract - December 22, 2011
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ECU,
PCMH announce six-person kidney exchange - Article from the Beaufort
Observer (NC). - December 22, 2011
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Readied
To Donate Organs, 21-Year-Old Emerges From Coma - Article from Good
Morning America. - December 22, 2011
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Improving
family consent in organ donation could save lives - Article from Oxford
University. - December 22, 2011
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Factors
That Influence the Decision to Be an Organ Donor: a Systematic Review
of the Qualitative Literature - Advance Access abstract from NDT.
- December 21, 2011
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Selling
Bone Marrow — Flynn v. Holder - Free, fulltext, perspective
piece from the New England Journal of Medicine. - December 21, 2011
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UK
Transplant Surgeon Becomes First Ever To Donate His Own Kidney - Article
from the Daily Mail. - December 21, 2011
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Living
Donor Kidney Donation: Another Form of White Coat Effect - Issue-in-Press
abstract from American Journal of Nephrology. - December 21, 2011
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For
Illegal Immigrant on Dialysis, Line Is Drawn at Transplant - Article
from The New York Times. - December 20, 2011
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Boy
Asks Santa for Kidney. - December 20, 2011
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Pharmacist
Fired After Giving Notice of Kidney Transplant Surgery - Article from
Job Mouse. - December 19, 2011
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First
Do no Harm: The Living Renal Donor Dilemma - Blog posting from HemoDoc.
- December 16, 2011
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S.
Florida woman receives kidney after Craigslist ad comes through -
Article from the Miami Dade Herald. - December 14, 2011
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Xenotransplantation:
using pigs as organ and tissue donors for humans - Article from The
Conversation. - December 14, 2011
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Live
kidney donation: attitudes towards donor approach, motives and factors
promoting donation - Advance Access abstract from NDT. - December
13, 2011
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Kidney
Patients at For-Profit Dialysis Centers Less Likely to Get Transplants
- Article summary from HealthCanal.com. - December 13, 2011
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Organ
Trafficking on the Rise in Egypt, Says New Report - Article from Bikya
Masr. - December 12, 2011
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The
Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes of Kidney Transplant Recipients regarding
Their Risk of Cancer - Accepted Article Abstracts from Nephrology.
- December 11, 2011
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Pretransplant
Physical Activity Predicts All-Cause Mortality in Kidney Transplant Recipients
- Issue in Progress abstract from American Journal of Nephrology. - December
10, 2011
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Cold
and Over-the-Counter Meds in Transplantation - Posting from Renal
Fellow Network. - December 9, 2011
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Nephrologists
and Urologists Collaborate on Implantable Artificial Kidney - Article
from Renal & Urology News. - November 1, 2011
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Latest
transplant news from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) |
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Kidney
Transplant news stories from Yahoo! News - Continually
Updated! |
