Even as Rose Mary underwent her 1,172nd dialysis here on Wednesday, the City’s nephrologists drew attention to an alarming trend: The number of ‘unrelated transplants’ (transplants not of first degree blood relations) have come down and the number of patients on dialysis has increased.
The decline has been attributed to a GO circulated by Authorisation Committee asking hospitals to verify address of the donor.
Unrelated transplants have decreased in many hospitals and the number of dialysis patients is increasing, said Dr Aravind, convenor, Nephrology Association of Karnataka.
Dialysis is an option only for people living in cities. Moreover, there is a cost of Rs 10,000 to 15,000 a month which makes it more more expensive than a transplant, he said. The quality of life is not as good as patients who have undergone transplant as well, he added.
Only donors who are siblings, parents, spouse and children are considered related for transplants under Karnataka Kidneys Transplantation Act. Donors who are the extended family and sympathetic donors have to be approved by the Authorisation Committee.
“We are doing only close related transplants which don’t require Authorisation Committee permission, said Head of Nephrology, Manipal Hospital Dr Sudarshan Ballal.
Previously, there used to be four applications every month from Manipal Hospital to the Authorisation Committee, but there have been none since July 2007 after the letter was sent from the Committee.
Doctors and hospitals are apprehensive and don’t think its worth the hassle as one never knows which one will turn out to be a scam, according to Dr Ballal.

STRAPLINE

Kidney failure symptoms
* Extreme tiredness   
* Nausea and vomiting 
* Itchy skin
* Difficulty sleeping 
* Puffiness & swelling of feet, legs, hands, face
* Shortness of breath  
* Poor appetite 
* Bad breath 
* High blood pressure

Causes

* Diabetes Mellitus
* Glomerulonephritis (inflammation and destruction of the glomerulus - part of the kidney that filters blood of waste products)
* Hypertension 
* Pyelonephritis - An infection of kidneys
* Obstruction - Occurs with kidney stones
* Polycystic kidney - In this condition, kidneys are full of cysts. 
 * Structural disorders - This is from a defect in urinary tract

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