Referral for kidney transplantation: a consensus statement from the Brazilian Society of Nephrology

Abstract

Brazil ranks among the top five countries performing kidney transplants, operating the largest public transplantation system in the world. Nevertheless, the number of procedures performed represents less than 40% of demand, and there are significant regional disparities, with areas of the country reporting very low transplantation activity. Among the potential causes of this scenario are the low frequency of referrals for transplant evaluation and referrals made under inappropriate clinical conditions. In this document, the Brazilian Society of Nephrology aims to compile information supporting the selection of kidney transplantation as a renal replacement therapy. The document also details contraindications and patient care after listing and prioritization, in line with the national context. Our goal is to provide a document that serves as a national reference and contributes to streamlining the referral process for kidney transplantation, making it more frequent and effective, thereby expanding candidates՚ access to this treatment.