A report from The West Australian on a four-pair exchange includes some stats on kidney exchange in Australia: Amazing kidney swap surgery saves four lives
Cathy O’Leary, Medical Editor - The West Australian on June 1, 2016
"Since the first kidney exchange in WA in 2007 involving two pairs of matched donor-recipients, more than 150 kidney transplants have taken place in the exchange program.
Every three months, a computer program searches the national database to look for combinations that will allow an exchange to occur.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital surgeon Bulang He, from the WA Liver and Kidney Surgical Transplant Service, said the biggest exchange had involved six pairs of donor recipients.
There was strict criteria for the donors and recipients to give the best possible success rates.
“It is more complicated the more pairs that are involved, and how many you use depends on the match results and what will give the best outcomes,” Dr He said.
Dr He said transplants were cost-effective because they could prevent years of dialysis.
For details on becoming a donor, visit donatelife.gov.au"
Cathy O’Leary, Medical Editor - The West Australian on June 1, 2016
"Since the first kidney exchange in WA in 2007 involving two pairs of matched donor-recipients, more than 150 kidney transplants have taken place in the exchange program.
Every three months, a computer program searches the national database to look for combinations that will allow an exchange to occur.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital surgeon Bulang He, from the WA Liver and Kidney Surgical Transplant Service, said the biggest exchange had involved six pairs of donor recipients.
There was strict criteria for the donors and recipients to give the best possible success rates.
“It is more complicated the more pairs that are involved, and how many you use depends on the match results and what will give the best outcomes,” Dr He said.
Dr He said transplants were cost-effective because they could prevent years of dialysis.
For details on becoming a donor, visit donatelife.gov.au"
You might like this photo exhibition, also from Australia, documenting the transplant process and the people involved.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.andrewchapmanphotography.com/giving-life/