Rede D’Or creates a program of excellence in kidney transplantation

The phone rings. Heart racing. Will it be now? For thousands of Brazilians with chronic kidney disease, this is the routine: living waiting for a call that could mean life and that often never arrives. With every passing minute, the body wears out, hope diminishes, and life is limited to long dialysis sessions, three times a week, four hours a day.

What many don’t realize is that dialysis is a bridge, not the destination. Kidney transplantation is a treatment that prolongs the life of these patients and restores their quality of life. But in Brazil, the waiting time and small number of people on the list led to many deaths.

According to the Brazilian Association of Organ Transplantation (ABTO), more than 38,000 people are waiting for a kidney in the country, and 1,303 died between January and June 2025 alone, before receiving the long-awaited call. Despite this, only 20% of dialysis patients are registered for kidney transplantation. It is important to note that kidney transplantation is currently a safe procedure, with a survival rate of more than 98%.

— Many patients spend years, or even a decade, on dialysis without being listed, due to lack of guidance or a slow referral process — explains urologist Ricardo Ribas, technical officer of the kidney transplant program at Rede D’Or in Rio de Janeiro.

Ribas stresses the importance of registration:

– We must have 80,000 people registered. It is necessary to expand access and adequately prepare patients for transplantation.

Ricardo Ribas, technical lead for the kidney transplant program at Rede D'Or in Rio de Janeiro - Photo: Disclosure — Ricardo Ribas, Technical Officer of the Kidney Transplant Program at Rede D’Orno Rio de Janeiro — Photo: Disclosure

Nephrologist Claudia Fagundes also raises the question of chronic kidney disease:

— Every patient with chronic kidney disease should be evaluated for a kidney transplant, including before needing dialysis. The earlier the targeting, the lower the risk and the better the prognosis.

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive condition that silently destroys the kidneys’ ability to filter blood. When an organ stops working, the entire body feels it: Toxin buildup leads to fatigue, anemia, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular risks. Dialysis prolongs life, but kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice to regain independence, energy and a future.

To meet this challenge, Rede D’Or has organized one of the largest kidney transplant programs in the country, with centers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco and Paraíba.

Claudia Fagundes, Kidney Transplant Program Coordinator at Rede D'Or in Rio de Janeiro - Photo: Disclosure — Claudia Fagundes, Kidney Transplant Program Coordinator at Rede D’Or in Rio de Janeiro – Photo: Disclosure

At Copa D’Or, Copa Star, Quinta D’Or, Norte D’Or and Gloria D’Or hospitals, patients are monitored from diagnosis to post-transplant by multidisciplinary teams consisting of urologists, nephrologists, surgeons, psychologists and nutritionists.

In living donor cases, robotic surgery has allowed faster recovery and earlier discharge, increasing the number of donors and reducing hospitalization time.

—We are investing in excellent protocols to reduce waitlist deaths and improve access. Every patient on the list represents another chance to save their life.

Time is both enemy and ally. Every minute of waiting represents a life at risk, but it also represents an opportunity for action. Channeling, redirecting, and expanding menu access are steps that can change the game. The good news is that the structure, technology and team for this are already in place and are closer than many imagine.