Renal transplantation

Calina and HelenKidney transplantation is one of the treatment options for end stage kidney disease patients. An eligible kidney transplant candidate can receive a kidney transplant either from a matched deceased donor (through National Deceased Donor Transplant Waiting List) or from an approved live donor. All patients can be considered for a kidney transplant, however not everyone is suitable for a transplant.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital's Renal Medicine and Transplantation Service offers all kidney transplant programs available in Western Australia. We accept both internal (within catchment) and external (out-of-catchment) kidney specialist referrals for patient suitability assessment. All transplant workups and transplant education are coordinated through the Renal Transplant Nursing Service.

 

WA kidney transplant programs

Deceased donor (DD) transplantation

If deemed a suitable kidney transplant candidate, the transplant nursing team will process all the required listing paperwork. Your suitability for listing will be dependent on your transplant specialist team's assessment outcome. You can only access the listing once you are established on dialysis treatment.

Your transplant nurse will contact you to confirm your contact details and discuss your listing requirements before activating you on the National (Australia) Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant Waiting List. You will also receive an official listing letter from the transplant office. A separate copy will be sent to your primary dialysis unit and your nominated GP.

Multi-organ DD transplantation

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital offers a liver-kidney transplant program, where your transplant workup is mainly coordinated through the Liver Transplant Service.

Renal transplant service coordinates workups for simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant candidates. All candidates will see Westmead Hospital renal transplant team in their WA clinics. The team (surgeon, kidney specialist and nurse specialist) visits WA twice a year. Westmead transplant team processes all approved SPK candidates once they are deemed suitable. SPK candidates receive their transplantation surgeries at Westmead Hospital (external site).

Living donor transplantation

Living kidney donor workups are usually coordinated through recipients' renal team. For instance, if your family member / friend (patient) is under the care of a Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital kidney specialist, your (living donor) workup will be coordinated through Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital transplant team.

You can contact Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Renal Medicine and Transplantation Service directly if you are interested in being considered as a living kidney donor candidate for your family members or friends. Upon processing your enquiry, our Transplant Admin Support Officer can provide specific referral requirements if you wish to progress this further. Your initial appointment will be with the Renal Transplant CNC, to provide an overview of living kidney donation and different donation pathways, such as:

You will be assigned a donor kidney specialist, who will assess and overlook your living kidney donor workup. Renal Transplant CNC provides donor-specific education and guidance through your workup journey, which includes surgery planning for the approved and suitable pairs.

Find out more at Transplant Australia (external site)

Resources

An introduction to kidney donation (PDF)

An introduction to kidney transplantation (PDF)

Your kidney transplant journey booklet (PDF)

View more patient resources, support groups and useful links.

Last Updated: 05/02/2024