Kidney and Kidney - Pancreas Transplant Program

Since performing Arkansas’ first kidney transplant in 1964, UAMS has provided superior care for patients with chronic and end-stage renal disease. Today, UAMS offers enhanced care for renal patients through UAMS’ consolidated Multi-Organ Transplant Program. Our expanded, multi-disciplinary team of transplant surgeons, nephrologists, specially-trained nurse coordinators and many other specialists lend their extensive experience and expertise to every patient.
Continuum of Care

Communication with referring physicians is paramount in the long-term care of patients who need kidney transplants. Our kidney and kidney-pancreas team takes pride in working closely with referring nephrologists to ensure a continuum of care for transplant patients before, during and after transplant surgery. All kidney transplant patients are grouped together in private rooms on one floor of the hospital and are attended by a nursing staff dedicated exclusively to the care of transplant patients.

We also emphasize patient education to help transplant patients and their families prepare for surgery and understand immunosuppressant medications
and lifestyle issues awaiting them after transplant. UAMS offers care that goes well beyond renal care and education, providing transplant patients with psychosocial support, financial counseling and more.

A Record of Success

Thanks to excellent coordination and strong support from the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Organization (ARORA), waiting times for kidney transplantation at UAMS are among the shortest in the nation. According to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, between January 1999 and June 2004, half of the patients listed at UAMS had received a transplant within 25 months, compared to the national time period of 37.7 months for this benchmark.

The UAMS team undertakes some of the most complex transplant cases, including many older patients. Our one-year graft survival rate is almost 92%, paralleling national rates. We perform both living-donor and deceased-donor kidney transplants. Physicians may refer anyone with end-stage kidney failure for consideration as a transplant candidate. Our transplant nephrologists and a multidisciplinary transplant team carefully evaluate all patients.
Kidney-Pancreas Transplants

UAMS is the only medical center in Arkansas that provides kidney-pancreas transplants. Combined kidney-pancreas transplants have been offered since 1991 for patients who have kidney failure as a complication of type 1 diabetes. Isolated pancreas transplants are also available for patients who have previously received a kidney alone to treat complications of their type 1 diabetes.
UNOS Certified

The UAMS Multi-Organ Transplant Program is certified by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the nonprofit scientific and education organization that administers the nation’s organ procurement and transplantation network. The Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA) serves the UAMS program.

How to Refer Patients

For liver or kidney/kidney pancreas transplant consultations, please call (800) 552-8026 or (501) 686-6644.
Send fax transmissions to (501) 686-5696.

Appointment response within one week of physician reviewing medical records and confirmation of insurance.
Referrals require pertinent medical records, including demographics and insurance information.