Paired kidney exchanges and opportunities for kidney transplant in minority patients

Paired kidney exchanges make kidney transplant an option for patients who have a family member or friend who is willing to donate a kidney, but is not a match for the patient. In a paired exchange, two or more patients who have willing, but incompatible (not a match) donors enter into a group. Patients in this group receive kidneys from other group members' family members and friends whose kidneys are incompatible with their own loved one, but are matches to another member of the group.

Our speaker, Dr. Keith Melancon, director of the George Washington Transplant Institute will discuss:

• The paired kidney exchange process
• ABO compatibility in transplantation
• The need for more live donor kidney transplants in the minority community