reason why the pateint cant be qualified for the kidney transplant???

GilaRRT · Feb 18, 2009

Hmmm, you are asking allot of information about kidney transplants. I just saw a thread about going to foreign countries for kidneys. I must remind you that the TOS forbids us from giving medical advice. I understand if you are simply looking for information; however, if you are seriously entertaining options for your self or friends/family, a public forum is not the best place to obtain the said information.

Fiona59 · Feb 18, 2009

In a nutshell, age, overall health, and noncompliance with their treatment.

pattyrn376 · Feb 18, 2009

sometimes if the person tests positive for illegal drugs, I have had pt's that were taken off of the transplant list after they told their NP that they smoked dope in the past 6 months, in otherwards, if you need an organ, dont admit to ever doing that. I have seen people taken off the list for smoking and drinking.

talaxandra · Feb 18, 2009

Some reasons patients of mine have been refused entry to the transplantation waiting list included:

- previous issues with compliance

- issues with tobacco, alcohol or illicit drug use

- psychological fragility (ie distressed at the idea of having another persons' organ in them, had anticipatory guilt at waiting for a stranger to die)

- the age (and potential lifespan) of the patient

- comorbidities (including dementia) that would shorten the patient's lifespan and quality of life regardless of the transplant

Transplantation isn't just a matter of popping in a new organ and restoring the person to their previous state of health (which is the picture much of the popular media seems to promote) - the surgery is lengthy; success is variable even immediately post op; rejection is always a possibility, even if the surgery was years earlier; the medication regime is strict and permanent; and there are complications of long-term medication use, including higher lifetime incidents of cancer.

Therefore patients who are less likely to survive surgery well (perhaps because of a preexisting cardiac or respiratory issue), whose initial cause of organ failure may quickly affect a new organ (eg intractable hypertension); are less likely to comply with the onerous regimen of medications and testing; who fail the pschological testing or are psychologically fragile; or who already have a high likelihood of a shorter life expectancy may not be eligible.