Transplants - Pros & Cons
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 5.3.18
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Kidney Transplants
Many patients choose to have a kidney transplant if they need one. The donated kidney often comes from a close relative.
Advantages
- The patient does not need to have dialysis treatment, which is time-consuming.
- Transplants are cheaper than dialysis in the long run.
Disadvantages
- The kidney may be rejected by the body.
- There can be long waiting lists for kidney transplants.
- The patient often has to take immunosuppressant drugs. These can make a patient more prone to other infections.
Test yourself on Transplants - Pros & Cons
What are transplant patients more likely to experience if they take immunosuppressant drugs?
What is more expensive in the long run: dialysis or a kidney transplant?
Which statement is correct in each pair about kidney transplants?
Why is not needing dialysis treatment an advantage of having a kidney transplant?
Which risk of having a kidney transplant occurs before a donor is found?