Angela's got a kidney but can't get a theatre

[okarol]

 Saturday, 8 September 2007
stuff.co.nz

Angela's got a kidney but can't get a theatre

Unlike most of the 500 New Zealanders waiting for kidney transplants, Angela Murton already has a donor kidney - her husband, Peter's.

But because Wellington Hospital does only one live transplant a month, it will be at least six months before she gets her lifesaving operation.

Meanwhile, the Porirua mother-of-two, who has already had one transplant, faces the prospect of starting dialysis treatment from next month.

"It seems ridiculous because it would be so much cheaper to give me a transplant than to pay for dialysis," she said. "My quality of life - and my life expectancy - would be much better."

Mr Murton said waiting in limbo was frustrating. "Once she goes on dialysis we're stuck here."

He said it was particularly hard on their sons, Benjamin, 11, and Andrew, 8, because their mother was constantly "tired and grumpy".

Capital and Coast District Health Board's group manager of surgery, Chris Lowry, said the board was working to address the problem. "Money isn't the issue here ... the limiting factor is access to theatre space."

A live donor transplant requires the use of two surgical teams and takes up an operating theatre for the entire day.

This year, the board explored the possibility of using space at Canterbury or Auckland hospitals but unfortunately they were in a similar position. But a new theatre under construction at Kenepuru would increase overall surgical capacity and it was hoped to increase live donor transplants to two a month.

"We anticipate being in a position to confirm an implementation date for this in the new year."

The Kidney Foundation's medical adviser, Kelvin Lynn, said live organ transplants should be coordinated and funded nationally. "Everyone wants to see more live transplants - but health boards already struggle to meet demand for elective surgery."

Transplants were "substantially cheaper in the long run" than dialysis, which costs between $20,000 and $35,000 a year.

"It's not often in the health system that you save money by spending it."

Last year, there were 45 live transplants nationwide, compared with just 28 from deceased donors.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4194012a23918.html

[goofynina]

What the     I dont understand how some of these people think!!    Probably never will either 

[Roxy]

So the transplants are in an actual theatre or is it something else that i don't get? Then why doesn't the hospital just have their own theatre? Then they make more money off doing more transplants and then THEY can rent out the theatre to other hospitals and make more money that way too. And these people can finally get their kidneys!!!

[Redbomb]

So the transplants are in an actual theatre or is it something else that i don't get? Then why doesn't the hospital just have their own theatre? Then they make more money off doing more transplants and then THEY can rent out the theatre to other hospitals and make more money that way too. And these people can finally get their kidneys!!!

I think thats what they call their operating rooms -- Theaters.  I know that I've heard that term used before, but it was in conjunction with two (or sometimes more) Operating Rooms that are interconnected somehow.

[Roxy]

Ohhh okay. Thanks! I just don't understand why they wouldnt build more though if it's going to be used often enough it would seem like a common sense thing to do.