ABSTRACT
Currently over 60000 patients are awaiting kidney transplantation in the USA. As about 10000 deceased donor kidney transplantations are undertaken each year, waiting times are progressively increasing and are projected to approach an average of 10 years by 2010.5
Worldwide, many other countries face the same challenges. Consequently, utilization of kidneys from living donors has become the only practical option for patients with ESRD to avoid maintenance dialysis and optimize outcomes after transplantation.
