Transplanting A Polycystic Kidney; Trojan Horse Or Silver Lining

Abstract

Renal transplant, when possible, is the treatment of choice for patients with advanced renal failure approaching End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Unfortunately, there is a significant gap between supply and demand for available kidney transplants. With the 2014 updated Kidney Allocation System (KAS), patients with older age have shorter expected post-transplant survival, thus have less chances to get transplanted. In this case report, we describe a 76 year-old male who underwent a successful deceased renal transplant from a donor who had known Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). His chances of having an “ordinary” kidney were low; hence we opted to offer him a rather “unordinary” kidney, which was successfully transplanted with near normal post-transplant renal allograft function. This case report presents a silver lining for aging ESRD population, with a chance to improve their survival and quality of life by keeping them off dialysis.