About This Program
The Kidney Transplant Program is a specialty program within the Abdominal Transplant Center, a clinical partnership between Ascension Seton and UT Health Austin.
The Kidney Transplant Program provides comprehensive care for adult patients (18 years and older) with chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease. We work with you to develop a treatment plan specific to your needs, using a combination of specialized procedures and new medicines to prevent organ rejection. Our goal is to increase your quality and longevity of life.
Some patients may need a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant, which is also offered through the Abdominal Transplant Center.
Treatment Approach
The Kidney Transplant Program utilizes two types of transplant donor sources for patients, living organ donors and deceased, or brain-dead, organ donors. Transplanting a kidney from a healthy donor into a recipient patient with kidney failure is called a living donation. Living kidney donations can come from a compatible donor who is related or unrelated to you. You will also have the option to participate in our paired kidney exchange program to help incompatible pairs of recipients/donors find matches for a kidney transplant. Only one donated kidney is needed to replace two failed kidneys, as it is possible to live a healthy life with one kidney, which makes living-donor kidney transplantation an alternative to deceased-donor kidney transplantation. If a living donor isn’t available for you, your name will be placed on the UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) kidney transplant waitlist to receive a kidney from a deceased donor.
After your transplant, you (and, if living, your donor) will receive ongoing care to minimize any potential complications and to help you fully recover. The Kidney Transplant Program care team works closely with you before, during, and after your transplant to ensure favorable outcomes.
Patients are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary care team, meaning you will benefit from the expertise of multiple specialists across a variety of disciplines. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained transplant surgeons have extensive experience in organ transplantation as well as the ongoing care for donors and work alongside a team of transplant experts, including transplant nephrologists, transplant coordinators, nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, and more, providing unparalleled care for patients every step of the way.
Appointment Information
To be considered for a kidney transplant, you must first undergo a thorough medical evaluation, which can take up to several months to complete and may involve a variety of tests, including advanced imaging, chest x-rays, consultations, an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) test, laboratory testing, physical exams, stress tests, and more. These test results allow the Kidney Transplant Program care team to determine your candidacy for receiving a transplant. Upon completion of testing, all results will be reviewed with you.
For more information about the Kidney Transplant Program, please call 1-512-324-7930. You can also fax referrals to 1-833-340-0748.