Understanding Types of Transplants

Patients with kidney disease referred to the South Florida Transplant Center will undergo extensive evaluation for transplant candidacy. After the pre-transplant evaluation is completed and they are deemed a suitable candidate, the patient will be activated on the waiting list. Patients could receive a kidney from a deceased donor or a living donor.

A deceased donor kidney comes from a donor who is no longer living, and the kidney was deemed appropriate for transplant. While waiting for a deceased donor, the patient can choose to receive a living donor kidney.

A living donor kidney comes from a healthy, living donor who has agreed to donate their kidney after an extensive evaluation. Patients can receive a kidney from a parent, family relative, friend, or other living donor. Although both types of transplants have excellent success rates, the living donor donation process can reduce wait times for a healthy kidney and give patients a chance for better long-term transplant outcomes.

Factors that Increase Your Risk for Kidney Disease

Certain factors increase the risk that chronic kidney disease will progress to end-stage renal disease and dialysis dependence, including:

Factors within your control

• Diabetes with poor blood sugar control
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease after a kidney transplant
• Kidney disease that affects the glomeruli, the structures in the kidneys that filter wastes from the blood
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Tobacco use

Hereditary factors outside your control

• African American descent
• Male sex
• Older age