Is kidney transplant a better option than dialysis?

Q: My 60 years old father in law is on dialysis - once in a week. Now, the doctor is suggesting him to undergo dialysis – twice in a week. But dialysis – twice in a week will become very hectic for us as dialysis centre is 60 km away from our place. Is it safe to undergo dialysis – once in a week? We are also thinking about the transplant instead of undergoing dialysis twice in a week. Is kidney transplant a good option as compared to dialysis?

A:Kidney transplant would be the best option of treatment for some one with kidney failure since it improves the long term quality of life along with lower cost and incidence of mortality compared to dialysis. Even though the patient is 60 years old, it can still be possible to get a matched kidney from among the family members and close relatives. Hemodialysis ideally should be done 3 days a week to get an adequate treatment. Instead, he could try peritoneal dialysis (PD) which requires initial training by the PD staff and can be done by the patient at home itself. I would encourage you to talk to his nephrologist to explore these options if not done yet.