Renal transplantation: adult

The Adult Renal Transplantation Service is for people over the age of 16 living with end-stage kidney failure.

This national service is jointly based at units in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

What is kidney transplantation?

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure to place a healthy kidney from a live or deceased donor into a person with little to no kidney function. Usually, patients are already on dialysis.

The service assesses potential recipients and living donors. It's also responsible for the transplant operation and inpatient care. Follow up occurs before discharge to local nephrology care.

The main role of the kidneys is to filter waste products from the blood and convert them to urine. If the kidneys lose this ability, waste products can build up. This is potentially life-threatening.

Renal transplantation offers a better life expectancy and quality of life than dialysis for patients with end-stage renal failure.