End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
What are the Options Once Kidney Failure is Advanced?
(End-Stage Renal Disease)
It is time to make plans for renal replacement therapy (dialysis, transplant) when kidney function falls to 20% of normal (since it will be needed for survival once kidney function drops to less than 10% or of normal); sooner in children who are not thriving. This is called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Assuming that patients have been followed, evaluated and treated as described above, they may be healthy enough to receive a pre-emptive transplant, that is, without first requiring dialysis. This usually requires that a living related kidney donor (e.g., parent or sibling) is available.