KidneyTalk Podcast

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Week of April 3, 2007

To Be or Not To Be Steroid Free

On KidneyTalk this week Lori and Stephen talk with Dr. William Marks, transplant nephrologist/surgeon and Director of Transplantation at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. The question “to be or not to be” covers the issue of kidney transplant without using steroids.

So, what is non-steroidal transplantation? In short, it is a transplant without the use of steroids. Knowing that steroids are effective but have a lot of side effects such as weight gain, risk of infection, and problems with healing, physicians are beginning to use different medications and protocols that don’t require the use of steroids. Steroid-free transplantation is a new therapy. This is not a widespread therapy and is not available at all transplant centers.

To find out more about this interesting topic, dial in to your favorite online radio show and listen as we discuss this relatively new therapy option. As always, you should check with your physician and healthcare professional to find out what treatment option works best for you.

For more information on steroid-free transplantation, go to www.google.com and research the topic. It is always best to be informed about all your options.