Renal Transplant Program

Pre-Transplant Clinic

Pre-Transplant Clinic

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Overview

Kidney transplant is one of the treatment options for people with kidney failure. For many, it is the best option.

You only need to have one healthy and working kidney to meet your body’s needs.

A successful transplant can:

  • Improve your overall health.
  • Give you more energy.
  • Help you to have a better quality of life.
  • Allow you to live without dialysis.

A kidney transplant can be done before or after you start dialysis. If the transplant is successful, you no longer need dialysis.

It is important to remember that a kidney transplant is a treatment, not a cure. You will still need regular monitoring and medication to keep your new kidney healthy.  

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A kidney from a living donor, on average, can last up to 18 years.

A kidney from a deceased donor, on average, can last up to 12 years.

History of kidney transplants at The Ottawa Hospital

The first kidney transplant in Ottawa happened at the Civic Campus in 1966.  A lot has changed since then. Today, we perform 100 kidney transplants per year at the General Campus. We follow more than 1,000 transplant patients at the Riverside Campus.  

Almost half of our patients receive a kidney from a living donor through our program or the Kidney Paired Donation Program. 

Eligibility

All patients with advanced kidney disease can be considered for a kidney transplant.    Patients 80 years of age and older may still be eligible. To receive a transplant, patients must be healthy enough to have surgery and able to take the medications needed to help the new kidney work properly.

If you are eligible, your nephrology doctor at The Ottawa Hospital will refer you for the kidney transplant. After the referral, you will go through a pre-transplant workup and evaluation. This helps us learn whether a kidney transplant is the right option for you. 

Team

We have an experienced multidisciplinary team committed to patient success.  

The Pre-Transplant Clinic team:  

  • Pre-Transplant Clinic nurse coordinator.
  • Pre-transplant clerk.
  • Transplant social worker.
  • Transplant nephrologist.

Your health-care team also includes:  

  • Your primary care provider.
  • Your dentist.
  • Your dialysis or nephrology doctor.
  • Your dialysis or nephrology social worker.
  • Your dialysis or nephrology dietitian. 

The Pre-Transplant Clinic team works closely with your nephrology and dialysis team(s) throughout your pre-transplant journey. 

Contact us

Pre-Transplant Clinic

613-738-8400 ext. 81549  (Clerk)
613-738-8400 ext. 82347 or 82513 (Nurse coordinators)