St. Luke's Kidney Transplant Program
Referral phase | Pre-transplant | Transplant | Discharge & follow-up | Resuming activity | FAQs | How UNOS works
Aurora St. Luke's received kidney transplant approval from the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) in 1999 and physicians performed their first kidney transplant in 1999. The first living donor kidney transplant was performed in 2000 and in 2003, St. Luke's physicians performed Milwaukee's first laparoscopic kidney donation, a minimally invasive procedure that causes less pain, less scarring and faster recovery for the kidney donor.
Referral phase
Upon referral to the Kidney Transplant Program at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, a transplant coordinator will contact you to discuss the kidney transplant process. During the referral phase of a kidney transplant, the Transplant Clinic team will perform several diagnostic tests to help determine if a kidney transplant is the right treatment for you. The testing insures that, other then your kidney, you are in good physical health and can undergo the transplant.
The patient and family also participate in interviews and consultations with other members of the transplant team to discuss all aspects of transplantation and how it will affect their life.
After obtaining the needed information, a multi-disciplinary selection committee meets to decide if transplantation is the best option. If the committee determines that the candidate is qualified, the patient is registered with the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), the national computerized list that matches transplant recipients with available organs.
To learn more, click here or call 414-646-2550.
