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	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The kidneys filter blood, remove waste products, make hormones, and produce urine. The 2 kidneys drain via the ureters into the bladder where the urine is stored. In persons with end-stage renal (kidney) disease (also called chronic renal failure), renal dialysis (use of a machine to substitute for the kidney in removing waste products) or kidney transplantation are the treatment options. A successfully transplanted kidney works as a person's own healthy kidney would. This means that the individual would no longer need dialysis and may reduce or eliminate need for some medications. Not every person with renal failure is a candidate for a kidney transplant, so treatment options should be discussed with your doctor. The December 7, 2005, issue of JAMA includes an article about kidney transplantation.

DONOR ORGANS

Donated kidneys can come from deceased donors (individuals who have recently died and donated organs) or from living donors. Extensive testing takes . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Janet M. Torpy, MD, Writer; Cassio Lynm, MA, Illustrator; Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor

RELATED ARTICLE

Deceased-Donor Characteristics and the Survival Benefit of Kidney Transplantation
Robert M. Merion, Valarie B. Ashby, Robert A. Wolfe, Dale A. Distant, Tempie E. Hulbert-Shearon, Robert A. Metzger, Akinlolu O. Ojo, and Friedrich K. Port
JAMA. 2005;294(21):2726-2733.
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