A great deal of effort by the multidisciplinary renal team resulted in 20 Forth Valley residents receiving kidney transplants in 2015 – the highest number ever during a single year. Almost a fifth of those developing irreversible renal failure received a transplant without ever needing to start dialysis, a pre-emptive procedure. This is more than twice the Scottish average of 8%.
The team were praised by Consultant Nephrologist, Dr Bruce Mackinnon who said they had made sure that patients with end-stage renal disease had access to transplantation.
Most renal transplants for patients from Forth Valley take place in Glasgow, though those with diabetes, who may require a kidney and pancreas transplant, are seen in Edinburgh.
Outcomes after kidney transplant are improving and, among Scottish patients transplanted in the last 10 years, 95% of transplants are still functioning at one year and 88% at five years. In Forth Valley the figures are 95.3% and 89% respectively.
To find out more about organ donation and join the register visit https://www.organdonationscotland.org/
