KUWAIT: The success rate of kidney transplantation in Kuwait exceeds 90 percent, said a leading medical figure on Wednesday. The high rate of success in the transplant field was announced by the President of the Arab Society of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation (ASNRT) and Head of specialized Kidney diseases unit at Hamed Al-Essa center of Kidney transplant, Turki Al-Otaibi.

Dr. Turki Al-Otaibi said in a press statement - after winning the association’s elections - that this percentage is attributed to the availability of appropriate medications to suppress immunity and work on matching tissues between the donor and recipient to a greater extent, using modern technology.

He explained that the number of kidney dialysis patients in Kuwait is 2,500, 88 percent of whom are on hemodialysis programs, and the rest are on peritoneal dialysis, receiving treatment through nine kidney dialysis centers spread across all governorates of Kuwait.

He mentioned that through regular follow-up at the center, the transplanted kidneys are maintained, and medical and surgical problems are treated promptly, emphasizing that the kidney diseases and transplantation team is responsible for medical care for recipients before and after transplantation.

Dr. Al-Otaibi noted that the main causes of kidney failure - in Kuwait and worldwide - are diabetes, hypertension and glomerulonephritis, pointing out that the best option for tearing said cases is kidney transplantation, which surpasses kidney dialysis in terms of effectiveness.

He said that although kidney transplantation is best, it is not the dominant treatment for kidney failure due to global barriers preventing the replacement of all dialysis treatments with transplantation.

He said that in 2023, 305 potential kidney transplantation recipients were evaluated, including 95 patients undergoing the necessary examinations before kidney transplantations, and that 210 medically suitable patients were added to the transplant waiting list, which included 450 cases.

Al-Otaibi affirmed that in 2023, 140 kidney transplant surgeries were performed at Hamed Al-Essa Organ Transplant Center (78 from living donors and 62 from deceased donors), in addition to 80 kidney transplant surgeries performed abroad, all were added to the follow-up list at external clinics, where regular follow-ups and all necessary tests are conducted according to modern international standards. He mentioned that after the opening of the new Kuwait Kidney Transplant Center, this number will increase with the availability of all necessary specialties in one place, facilitating the process for patients. — KUNA