The History of Dialysis and Transplantation

Abstract

The introduction of dialysis as a life-saving treatment for kidney failure was not the result of any large-scale research programme; rather, it emerged from the activities of a few pioneering individuals who were able to use ideas, materials and methods from a range of developing technologies. Haemodialysis, as a routine treatment for renal failure, was initiated in the 1960s, followed by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in the late 1970s. The recognition of the need for immunosuppression in transplantation in the 1960s enabled it to become the preferred treatment for many patients.