[Renal transplantation from living donor in Italy and Europe]

Renal transplantation from a living donor shows a better graft and patient survival when compared with cadaver donor grafts. Moreover, since surgery can be planned in advance when a living donor is available, the time spent on dialysis while awaiting transplantation can be greatly reduced and dialysis treatment can be completely avoided in some cases. Only few risks for the donor have been reported as a consequence of nephrectomy, both in the short and long term. Nevertheless, despite these advantages, the number of living donor renal transplants carried out in Europe each year varies greatly from country to country and is particularly low in Spain and Italy. Several factors account for these differences, mainly the effectiveness of the organ procurement system, which could make people reluctant to living donation, and doctors' and patients' limited knowledge about living donor transplants. Nephrologists have the responsibility to identify patients eligible for transplant early in the course of the disease, and to inform them and their relatives about living donor transplantation, enabling them to make informed choices among the various treatment options in end-stage renal disease.