What are some of the problems associated with kidney transplants, and what are some ways the issues can be resolved?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A key problem with kidney transplants is organ rejection. Kidney transplants must match as closely as possible so the recipient's immune system doesn't attack the new kidney. The ideal donor is an identical twin, but often an immediate family member can be a match. The risk of rejection increases with decreasing degrees of relatedness between the donor and the recipient. Where exact matches cannot be found, transplant recipients are required to take drugs that suppress their immune system to prevent rejection. In a new method of enhancing acceptance, the recipient's immune system is suppressed through radiation to reduce his or her own cells responsible for rejection. After that radiation treatment, the recipient receives stem cells from the donor's bone marrow. If the donation is taken from a deceased donor, the kidneys can be kept alive only for 48 to 72 hours after the donor dies. If a transplant is not a possibility, the person may have to stay on a dialysis machine.

Another key problem is the shortage of organs. There are measures to increase the number of organs available for donation. One possibility is to pay donors for their contribution (a person can do quite well with only one kidney); some countries permit this practice. However, in the United States, organ donors cannot be legally paid for their gift. Because kidneys available for transplantation are always in short supply, some people go overseas to buy kidneys, legally or illegally. Another measure to increase the availability of organs is to implement an opt-out system. In some other countries, individuals must opt out if they do not wish their organs to be donated after death. In the United States, in contrast, donors must opt in. The supply of donated organs is larger in countries with opt-out systems.