PKD Life - Fall 2022 - 9

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PKD DAY TO DAY
Ages & Stages
Preparing for
a Transplant
Here's what you need to
know about the process.
By Beth Levine
I f you have PKD, your
nephrology team may
one day recommend that
you be evaluated for a kidney
transplant. Here's what
New Orleans nephrologists
Zohreh Soltani, M.D., of
Ochsner Medical Center,
and Siddhartha Bajracharya,
M.D., of University Medical
Center, recommend you do
beforehand to get the best
possible outcome.
Don't wait until you
need a transplant to start
thinking about it. About
60% of people with PKD will
have kidney failure by age 70.
The earlier you get a transplant,
the better the result.
Start getting your affairs organized
before you get to renal
failure. Line up a living donor
just in case, make sure you
have a support system for athome
care after surgery, and
get your finances and health
insurance in order so that if
or when that day comes, you
will be ready for action.
Go for screening
tests. Once the referral is
made, you will be directed to
a transplant program, where
you will be seen by a surgeon,
nephrology pharmacists,
a social worker, a financial
counselor, and transplant
Common
Myths
About Kidney
Transplants
" TRANSPLANTS
ARE A CURE. "
For as long as you have a
transplanted kidney, you
will have to take medications
and follow up with
your nephrologist.
" YOU WILL
ONLY NEED ONE
TRANSPLANT
IN YOUR LIFE. "
The average transplant
lasts 10 to 12 years.
Depending on your age,
you may have to have
more than one.
" YOU CAN'T GET
A TRANSPLANT
BECAUSE
YOU'RE NOT
ON DIALYSIS. "
Physicians prefer that
patients get a preemptive
transplant,
if possible.
coordinators. Not only will
you get a comprehensive
medical evaluation, but the
team will also check to see
that you have appropriate
financial backing, that you
are psychologically prepared
(good medication and followup
care compliance), and that
you have solid care support
at home. After that, the selection
committee will meet to
determine whether you are a
good candidate.
Don't despair if you
are turned down. Patients
are not good candidates
if there is an absolute contraindication
for transplant
such as active infection,
untreated malignancy,
active substance abuse,
documented noncompliance
with medications, or
insufficient social support.
" However, if they resolve all
the contraindications over
time, the patient can be
reconsidered for transplant, "
Dr. Soltani says.
Look for a living
donor. " Most transplant
physicians prefer living
donors whenever possible, as
that kidney typically will last
longer, " says Dr. Bajracharya.
Also, there is a nationwide
shortage of donations from
deceased donors, which
can make the wait time up
to seven years. Your living
donor will have to go through
the same screening process to
ensure that they are a match
and suitable for donation.
Don't give up if no one you
contact is a match. You may
be eligible for a living donor
paired exchange (your donor
gives to a stranger, and that
stranger's donor gives to you)
or a Never Ending Altruistic
Donor (NEAD) chain,
which is when an altruistic
nondirected donor gives to
a person whose living but
incompatible donor gives to
another person on the waiting
list, and so on.
Register for a
deceased donor if you
don't have a living donor.
Your team will guide you
through the process.
*
PKDCURE.ORG
9
http://www.PKDCURE.ORG
PKD Life - Fall 2022

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