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Waiting for your kidney transplant

Getting approved by the review board is a big step in the transplant process but does not mean there is a kidney waiting for you.

Patient Education

Last reviewed September 2022 by Alan Reed

Kidney transplant waitlist

The official transplant waitlist is managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS maintains the list of all patients waiting for an organ transplant in the United States and organizes all the organs offered for patients waiting.

You are free to list at more than one center within a region or in more than one region in the country if you can and think it will increase your chances of getting transplanted.

Waitlist factors

The average wait time for a kidney transplant varies according to a number of patient specific factors but may be as long as several years.

These factors include:

Type of kidney you are willing to accept
Blood type (O, A, B, AB)
Distance from transplant program to donor hospital
Antibody level (if you have been exposed to foreign proteins before–previous transplant, blood transfusions)
Other factors

What to do while you wait

While you wait for your kidney transplant it is important to maintain your overall health and receive routine health care. You will also need to visit the transplant clinic with your caregiver regularly for evaluation and ongoing education.

Physical exams
Dental exams

Cancer screenings
Vaccinations

Removal from the waitlist

A patient can be made inactive or removed from the kidney transplant waitlist entirely after they have been listed for many different reasons. The most important thing is to communicate with the transplant team throughout the waiting process.

Reasons for being inactive or removed include:

Insurance issues
Unable to contact you
You are too sick/you are too well
Lack of caregiver support
Medical nonadherence
Personal choice
Substance abuse

When a kidney becomes available

When you are waiting for a kidney transplant, you need to be always prepared. It is okay to go on a trip or vacation, but you need to let the transplant team know in advance. Keeping the team informed of any major changes is important.

Contact us if:

You are planning to move/vacation
Any changes to your health
Any changes to your health care team or insurance coverage
Your caregiver changes

Things to prepare

You should have a plan and a list of things to bring to the hospital ahead of time. Your caregiver will bring you so having everything ready is crucial. You need to be able to leave your home within one or two hours after you receive the call.