November 7, 2016.
According to a report from the French Association of Urology, real legal and medical progress in the field of kidney transplants has been observed in 20 years. Progress that compensates for the increase in the number of people suffering from kidney failure.
Increase in the number of living donors
The French Urology Association (Urofrance) presented, at its annual congress, a report on the progress of kidney transplants over the past 20 years. The most positive observation is the good progression of transplants from living donors. In 2014, out of 3,241 kidney transplants performed in France, 514 were made possible thanks to living donations. This represents an increase of over 130% compared to 2009.
But how to explain this progression? Much of this, according to the report’s authors, is due to legal and medical advances. With laparoscopic surgery in particular, a kidney can be removed from a living donor, by making an incision that will only leave a scar of 5 centimeters. Other techniques even allow a kidney to be extracted through the vagina!
The demand for grafts is increasing
The real good news is that these kidneys from living donors have an average lifespan of 20 years, much longer than those from deceased (between 13 and 14 years). However, in 20 years, the demand for transplants has increased sharply: 15,470 patients were on the transplant waiting list in 2014.
To cover these needs, the legislation has relaxed. ” We are now turning to grafts with expanded criteria that we would not have previously considered for a transplant », Explains Professor François Kleinclauss, author of this report. Distant relatives, friends and spouses can now donate their kidneys.
Read also: Organ donation: what you need to know
-1730888646.jpg "Kidney donation while alive: “It was an act of love that I did for my sister”")
