Kidney Transplant
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Kidney Transplant
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Transplant Services
Kidney Transplant
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model. The IOTA Model aims to increase access to life-saving transplants for patients living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and reduce Medicare expenditures.
Click here for more information on the IOTA Model and the UAB Medicine Selection Criteria for Kidney Transplantation
A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure in which a healthy kidney from a donor is implanted into a patient with end-stage kidney disease. One of the most common transplant surgeries, the procedure normally allows a greater freedom of lifestyle than kidney dialysis, the only other treatment for kidney failure. The most common cause of end-stage kidney disease in the United States in diabetes, but it also may be caused by other factors. In many cases a kidney transplant may be ruled out if the patient has certain types of infections, trouble taking medicine, heart/lung/liver disease, hepatitis or other infections, or a history of smoking, drug use, or alcohol abuse.
The healthy kidney must be donated by a living person (usually a close relative) with certain genetic similarities to the recipient or by someone who recently died (or their family). Most living donations are performed laparoscopically, which doesn’t require the body to be fully opened and thus typically affords donors a shorter hospital stay, accelerated recovery, and a faster return to work. If patients needing kidney transplantation do not have a living donor available with matching tissue characteristics, they may be placed on a waiting list. The wait could be years, as the number of donated kidneys is small compared with the number of people on the list.
UAB’s kidney transplantation program began in 1968, and we have been at the forefront of the field ever since. We average more than 300 transplants per year and have worked to achieve outstanding outcomes, thanks in part to our active clinical and research efforts. We operate an outreach clinic in Mobile, Ala., allowing us to provide more convenient post-transplant care to our patients in the southern areas of the state. Our Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program helps increase patients’ chances of being matched with a compatible kidney.
Kidney transplant patients at UAB can expect comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate pre- and post-transplant care from an experienced, multidisciplinary team of specialists that includes surgeons, nephrologists, nurses, transplant coordinators, pharmacists, mental health professionals, and transplant social workers. Our highly skilled, dedicated surgeons and nephrologists are recognized leaders in their field, and UAB is a major training center for transplant surgeons and nephrologists now serving at some of the nation’s best medical centers. Transplant recipients initially are cared for in a dedicated unit, which is continuously staffed by an experienced transplant nursing team, and specialized intensive care is available when needed.
In 1988, UAB performed the region’s first simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant, a surgical advance that now is the accepted treatment for many patients with end-stage kidney disease caused by insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes and often enables recipients to live a fuller life, free of chronic insulin use. Since this pioneering achievement, hundreds of patients have received this innovative surgery at UAB.
Living Kidney Donation Program
UAB’s Living Kidney Donation Program enables healthy people to donate a kidney to someone who has kidney failure and needs a transplant. It helps address the lack of available deceased-donor organs, and today, about half of the kidney transplants performed at UAB come from living donors. An outpatient evaluation is performed to determine if the potential donor is a proper match for the recipient. Read more about the
Living Kidney Donation Program
UAB Living Donor Navigator Program
Another thing that sets UAB Medicine apart is our Living Donor Navigator Program, through which each patient identifies another person to be his or her “Living Donor Advocate”. We provide advocates and their patients with educational materials and resources to help locate potential living donors. Read more about the
Living Donor Navigator Program
Videos
Why I Donated: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Generosity
Hear inspiring stories of courage and generosity from those who decided to become living kidney donors.
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Why Choose UAB for Transplant
Convenience, innovation, and expanded access to organs set the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute apart in providing the highest caliber of care to our patients.
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Tyler Williamson | Kidney Transplant Donor
Tyler Williamson donated his kidney and helped save the life of a total stranger.
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Jan Jones | Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Recipient
After struggling with type 1 diabetes since childhood, Jan Jones was cured with a combined kidney/pancreas transplant at UAB.
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Carol Graydon | Kidney Transplant Donor
62-year-old grandmother donates kidney to save 2-year-old granddaughter suffering from rare congenital nephrotic syndrome
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Amanda’s Transplant Story
Amanda shares her transplant journey.
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Ann and Tess’s Transplant Story
Ann and Tess share their transplant journey.
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Shaun and Leslie’s Transplant Story
Shaun and Leslie share their transplant experience.
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Resources
Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Patient Information
Info for Listed Patients
Packing List for Transplant Patients
Transplant Recovery at Hilton Birmingham at UAB
Division of Nephrology
Division of Transplantation Surgery
Kidney Transplant
Transplant Living
Related Specialties
Living Donor Program
Living Donor Navigator Program
Clinical Trials
Speak to your physician about your options and browse the link below for more information
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Featured Highlights
View All News
Living kidney donation strengthens bond between husband and wife
April 1, 2026
UAB Hospital earns spot on Newsweek’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals list
March 12, 2026
UAB Medicine advances transplant care with first robotic kidney transplant in the Southeast
January 27, 2026
Latest News
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Why some organ transplants trigger harmful antibody responses
April 17, 2026
UAB now utilizing normothermic machine perfusion, providing more access for kidney transplants
April 13, 2026
UAB surgeons complete first adult living-liver donor transplant in Alabama
March 13, 2026
A hidden immune circuit in the uterus revealed: Findings shed light on preeclampsia and early pregnancy failure
March 11, 2026
A shared gift of hope: Hoover husband and wife share extraordinary bond after living kidney donation
March 10, 2026
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