Service overview
The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service supports patients and families with a kidney condition who also meet the requirements for a transplant.
The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (QKTS) is based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, (PAH) in Brisbane and covers The Queensland Children’s Hospital. It is the only kidney transplant facility in Queensland. It is one of the longest established, and largest, transplant units in Australia. We are very proud of our success rate, which is among the best in the world.
We would like to respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the PAH is located, the Jagera and Turrbul people
How to access the service
The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service is accessed by specialist referral only. As your kidney function declines, your Kidney specialist (Nephrologist) and the dialysis education nurse will start to discuss your options with you. This will include information about dialysis and possibly transplantation.
If you have concerns about your kidney function and are not currently under the care of a Kidney specialist (Nephrologist) please visit your GP for a referral to a kidney specialist.
Kidney care pathways
There are 5 treatment pathways, your specialists will help you select the right option for you:
Chronic Kidney Disease and Pre-Dialysis Support—for patients whose kidneys are still working well enough not to need dialysis—but whose care is being monitored and managed through the pre-dialysis and chronic kidney disease clinics. Several of these patients might not ever need dialysis–whilst some might need to start dialysis in the near or more distant future.
Peritoneal Dialysis—this is a home-based treatment that uses a dialysis fluid administered via a tube into your abdomen. This could be Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD also known as “The bags”) or Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis (IPD)–often done overnight while sleeping.
Haemodialysis—this treatment cleans the blood using an external machine and can be done at home or at a dialysis centre.
Kidney Transplant—for patients who are medically suitable for a kidney transplant, from either a living or a deceased donor.
Supportive (Non-Dialysis) Care—for patients who have decided with their treating specialist that they will not start or restart dialysis, or for patients who have decided with their treating specialist that they are stopping dialysis and looking towards palliative, supported care.
Read more about treatment for kidney failure at Kidney Health Australia.
Kidney transplant
A kidney transplant is a treatment for kidney failure, but it is not a cure. Transplant kidneys come from either a living donor or a deceased donor.
Not all kidney failure patients will be suitable to have a transplant. The assessment process is very important. It takes some time to consider the suitability of transplantation and if you are suitable, what type of transplant may be right for you. It will involve:
- Education about the transplant procedure and medications
- Consideration of the likely problems that may occur following transplantation and discussion of risks and benefits
- Consideration of the likely success of transplantation.
Read more about preparing for a kidney transplant and the kidney transplant operation.