活體腎臟移植之推動

Promoting Living Kidney Transplantation

腎臟移植是末期腎疾病最佳的治療方式，為腎衰竭病人帶來無限希望。然當今器官移植面臨最大的困境不是移植技術不佳，乃是移植器官來源嚴重不足。根據統計，器官移植的需求人數與捐贈人數，供需呈嚴重失衡的狀況。實證研究指出，對末期腎衰竭患者而言，接受活體腎臟移植比屍體腎臟移植的效益多，雖然親屬捐贈是解決器官短缺的有效方式，但因活體器官移植受到多重因素影響，使得在推展活體器官捐贈面臨諸多挑戰。本文試從文化、對器官移植的認知、心理衝突、倫理與法律層面，來闡述它們如何影響活體腎臟器官捐贈，也依此提出其因應策略。

Kidney transplantation is the best approach for treating patients with end stage renal disease, offering patients the best chance of returning to normal health. While the techniques used in kidney transplantation surgery are mature and highly successful, there is a severe shortage of donor organs. Statistics show a serious imbalance between organ donations and patients on the waiting list for organ transplantation. Moreover, evidence from empirical studies has shown a better transplantation outcome for patients who receive living donor transplantation than for those who receive organs from cadavers. Although using relatives as donors offers an effective way to reduce the problem of organ shortage, this strategy faces many challenges and many other factors affect the promotion of living donor transplantation. This article elaborates how cultural and psychological factors, kidney transplantation awareness, and ethics and laws impact upon living kidney donations and then proposes coping strategies for promoting living kidney transplantation.