Quality of life and cost issues in renal transplantation

Renal replacement therapy is expensive. As the health-care dollar shrinks and health care becomes more outcome-driven it will be essential for renal transplantation to defend itself as a treatment modality that is beneficial to both society and the individual patient. Renal transplantation offers a survival advantage to the end-stage renal disease patient as well as enhancing quality of life. It is cost-effective compared with dialysis in the treatment of renal failure.