AB092. Present situation and progress on kidney transplantation in China

Abstract: As the one of the best therapeutic options for end-stage renal disease, kidney transplantation has gotten more attention recently in China. Organ transplantation in China began in the 1960s, and has been developing rapidly in the last two decades. There were 74,861 registered cases in total in China Kidney Transplant Registry System from 1977 to 2014, and the transplant outcome had already reached international advanced level. Nevertheless, the donor shortage has still restricted the development of kidney transplantation. It is worth noting that kidney donor source structure is undergoing great changes in China. This is mainly reflected on deceased donor from condemned prisoner will no longer be the main organ source of the kidney transplantation. As a replacement, the living donation and donation after cardiac death (DCD) will eventually become the protagonist. Although it is ethically allowed the condemned prisoner voluntarily agree to donate their organs, in the reality, it is difficult to determine whether their willing is truly voluntary. Living donation is an important alternative option. Although certain health risks should be concerned, studies have shown that the health risks for the donor are limited and living donation is associated with significant patient and graft survival benefits when compared to deceased donation. Meanwhile, kidney transplantation of DCD has been rapidly developing in China; however, the traditional concept and lack of legislation is still a restricted factor of DCD nationwide application. In short, kidney transplantation in China still faces great difficulties, which need plenty of further works from both government and medical related specialist to solve, such as changing traditional concept, increasing public awareness and improving legislation.

Keywords: Kidney transplantation; renal; donor shortage