The two bean-shaped kidneys are the organs that are located on either side of the spine, right below the rib cage. Each kidney is about the size of a human fist. The main function of the kidneys is to remove excess waste & filter the minerals & fluid from the human blood by producing urine.

Kidney Failure

When a kidney losesits filtering ability, harmful levels of waste & fluid accumulate in the body that can result in kidney failure and raised blood pressure. This kidney failure is known as End-Stage Kidney Disease or End-Stage Renal Disease which occurs when the kidney loses 90% of its normal functionality.

Commoncauses of End-Stage Renal Diseaseinclude:

• Chronic Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Chronic Glomerulonephritis (Inflammation Of Glomerulus, which is the filtering unit of the kidney)

Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease depend on a dialysis machine to remove the waste from their bloodstream or they consider a kidney transplant.

A kidney transplant is the treatment of choice for kidney failure as compared to a lifetime on dialysis. When compared with life-time dialysis, kidney transplants are less expensive, have a lower mortality rate and a better quality of life.