Who can receive a kidney transplant?

Living with severe kidney disease feels overwhelming, but a kidney transplant offers a powerful path forward. A successful transplant gives you freedom from dialysis, providing you with more time and a better quality of life. It improves your daily energy levels and increases your overall life expectancy. The Ochsner Transplant Institute expert transplant team guides you every step of the way to better health. We provide clear answers to your most pressing questions about transplant eligibility, the evaluation process and how our innovative care improves your life.

Am I a candidate for a kidney transplant?

You qualify for a transplant evaluation if you currently rely on long-term dialysis. You also qualify if you have severe kidney disease with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 22 or less. Your GFR measures exactly how well your kidneys filter waste and extra fluid from your blood.

Kidney failure often stems from long-term health challenges like Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or polycystic kidney disease. If your kidneys no longer perform their essential functions, a transplant offers the most effective long-term solution.

Do I need to be on dialysis first?

You do not have to wait until you start dialysis to receive a transplant. In fact, receiving a transplant before starting dialysis protects your long-term health and keeps your body stronger.

Our Ochsner Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program gives you faster access to life-saving organs. When a living person donates a kidney, you avoid the long national waitlist entirely. Currently, about 30 percent of kidney transplants at Ochsner come from living donors. This vital program eliminates wait times and allows you to schedule your surgery when you feel your best.

Am I too old for a kidney transplant?

Age plays a role in your eligibility, but we look closely at your overall health. Generally, patients over the age of 75 face too many surgical risks to undergo a transplant safely.

For patients over 70, we carefully review your medical history. We look for compounding conditions like diabetes, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or a history of stroke. If you maintain good overall health and mobility, age alone does not disqualify you. Many older adults safely receive kidney transplants and enjoy active, fulfilling lives.

What health conditions prevent a transplant?

We want you to have the best possible outcome. For your safety, certain health conditions make surgery too risky. Active infections, untreated cancer, or unhealed wounds prevent a safe transplant. Current drug use, high alcohol consumption, and tobacco use also disqualify candidates. A Body Mass Index (BMI) over 40 places too much strain on your body during surgery.

Additionally, you must have a reliable support system of family or friends to help you recover. If you live permanently in a long-term care facility or have serious, unstable mental health conditions, a transplant poses too much risk.

Some conditions require us to gather more information before moving forward. If you have severe heart disease, a BMI over 35, HIV or poor nutrition that leads to significant weakness, we work closely with you. Our goal is to manage these health issues effectively so you can safely join the waitlist.

What happens during the evaluation process?

The evaluation confirms that a transplant is the safest and most effective option for you. First, we review your medical records and clear your insurance coverage. Next, you visit our clinic for a comprehensive one-day evaluation. You meet your dedicated transplant team, which works together to create a personalized care plan just for you.

Your team includes a transplant surgeon, a nephrology specialist, and a nurse coordinator who serves as your main guide. You also meet with a transplant pharmacist to discuss medications, a dietician for nutritional support, and a social worker to ensure you have a strong home support system.

During this evaluation, you undergo thorough medical testing. This includes blood tests, heart function exams, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and standard cancer screenings. We also perform an ultrasound of your kidney and CT scans. After you complete all testing, our transplant selection committee carefully reviews your results. If they determine you are an eligible candidate, we immediately add you to the national transplant waiting list managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

Can I receive a pancreas transplant at the same time?

The answer is yes. For people with Type 1 diabetes, we often recommend a simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant. When you have Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate your blood sugar.

Receiving a new pancreas alongside a new kidney provides unique benefits. It gives you better blood sugar control, reduces your need for insulin injections, and lowers the strain on your newly transplanted kidney. This combined procedure significantly reduces diabetes-related complications like nerve damage and vision problems.

pressing questions about transplant eligibility, the evaluation process, and how our innovative care improves your life.

Who can receive a living donor kidney transplant? 

A living donor kidney transplant is a remarkable path to better health for many people with kidney failure. If you are facing long-term dialysis or have severe kidney disease with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 22 or less, you are a candidate for this option. Living donor kidney transplants are not limited by time on a waiting list, if you and your living donor are both healthy and a match, your transplant can be scheduled at the best time for you. This means many patients can receive a transplant before ever starting dialysis, which helps protect overall health.

As a recipient, you benefit from receiving a kidney with a known and closely monitored health history. Kidneys from living donors often begin working right away and function more effectively and longer than those from deceased donors.

With a living donor, you have time to prepare for surgery, ensure your body is at its strongest and involve your family and support system. Patients who receive living donor kidney transplants at Ochsner regain the chance for a full and active life, supported by a team devoted to your success.

Why choose Ochsner Health for my kidney transplant?

You deserve expert management of your health. The Ochsner Transplant Institute performed our first kidney transplant in 1973. Since then, we have completed over 4,200 kidney and kidney-pancreas transplants. Our program holds ELITE status from INTERLINK COE Networks & Programs, proving our superior outcomes and ranking among the nation’s best transplant centers.

We lead the way in advanced surgical care. Our surgeons perform robotic-assisted kidney transplants, using minimally invasive technology for greater precision. This technique reduces blood loss, shortens your hospital stay, and supports a faster physical recovery.

We also find innovative solutions if you and your living donor are not a match. Our Kidney Paired Exchange Program allows a national kidney swap. Your donor gives a kidney to someone else in need, and in return, you receive a perfectly matched kidney from another donor. We perform all evaluations and surgeries for you and your donor right here at Ochsner.

How do I take the next step?

Take an active role in your health today. Ask your doctor for a referral to the Ochsner Kidney Transplant program. You can also call our transplant program directly to refer yourself. We stand ready to help guide you through every step of this life-changing journey.

Learn more about kidney transplants at Ochsner Health.