When patients near end stage renal disease, a decision must be made regarding the next steps to replace the function of failed kidneys. This usually means transplant, or most likely, dialysis. Dialysis is the most common option for the majority of patients in renal failure. Here are a few things to help you with the truth about dialysis.

Why don’t you just have a kidney transplant?

Transplant is not always a viable option for every patient. There are many factors that may make transplant difficult. Sometimes a donor kidney may not be available when needed, the patient may not qualify for a donor list, or it could also be that the patient may not be healthy enough for the transplant surgery. For these reasons and others, dialysis is often the only option. [Read more…]