Evaluation of Patients' Chronic Kidney Disease for Kidney Transplantation

There are nearly 450,000 chronic dialysis patients in United States, a number which is growing at a rate of approximately 5% annually. The number of patients undergoing a kidney transplant evaluation is growing at a corresponding rate, so an ordered approach to the evaluation is becoming increasingly important. The purposes of the kidney transplant evaluation are to identify suitable candidates who are most likely to benefit from an allograft, to optimize the preoperative health status of such candidates, and to exclude individuals who may be at undue risk of poor patient or graft survival. The transplant evaluation is an important process not only for the individual, but also for society, which must appropriately utilize scarce organ resources. The evaluation entails comprehensive medical, surgical, social, and psychological assessments by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals.