What you can expect

If your doctor recommends a kidney transplant, you may be referred to a transplant center or select a transplant center on your own.

You will be evaluated by the transplant center to determine if you are accepted as a kidney transplant candidate. Each transplant center has its own eligibility criteria.

If a compatible living donor isn't available for a kidney transplant, your name will be placed on a kidney transplant waiting list to receive a kidney from a deceased donor.

Everyone waiting for a deceased-donor organ is registered on a national waiting list maintained by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a private nonprofit group, administers OPTN through a contract with the U.S. government.

Additional factors used in matching deceased-donor kidneys include blood and tissue type matching and how long the candidate has spent on the waiting list. The federal government monitors the system in an effort to ensure that everyone waiting for an organ has a similar chance.

Some people get a match within several months, and others may wait several years. While on the list, you will have periodic health checkups to ensure that you are still a suitable candidate for transplantation.

When a compatible deceased-donor kidney becomes available, you will be notified by your transplant center. You must be ready to go to the center immediately for final transplant evaluation.

If the results of the final transplant evaluation are satisfactory, the kidney transplant surgery can proceed immediately.