About SGH Kidney Transplant Programme

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is the first and largest hospital in Singapore. Singapore kidney transplant programme performed its first deceased donor renal transplant in South-East Asia on 8th July 1970. Subsequently in 1976, the first living kidney donor transplant in Singapore was also performed at the Singapore General Hospital. 

Singapore General Hospital has a rich has a rich heritage in providing an extensive array of services, ranging from research to transplant training of fellows, post-graduate transplant residency, nurses and allied health.  The programme runs solid organ transplant courses for nurses on a regular basis.  With over 1000 kidney transplant recipients and living donors under its follow-up, the renal transplant programme is equipped with the state of the art facilities and multidisciplinary staff to provide advanced and team-based care, putting patients at the hearts of all we do. The renal transplant programme also provides comprehensive post-graduate transplant training to healthcare providers such as the senior residency programme in renal medicine as well as the annual solid organ transplant nursing course.

The Department of Renal Medicine at SGH is also accredited by the International Society of Nephrology for training in renal medicine and has host fellows for training in renal medicine and transplantation. The SGH transplant research programme partners with local and international research leaders in the fore front of transplant research to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics to give the best and affordable care for our patients.

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs in the back of the body. At their best, they perform these vital functions:

• Remove waste products from the body
• Keep the fluid content of the body in balance
• Control the amount of acid and minerals e.g. salt and potassium in the body
• Produce hormones that help control blood pressure, red blood cell, and bone production
• Remove drugs from the body

However, when kidneys are unable to perform these functions, one will suffer from end-stage kidney failure. The failure of the kidneys to perform these functions will lead to a build-up of waste products, water, acid and minerals that may result in poor appetite, weight loss, nausea/vomiting, itchiness, breathlessness, swollen limbs, high blood pressure and changes in behaviour. Failing kidneys may also cause changes in hormone production which may lead to low red blood cell count and weak bones. In the most severe cases of end-stage kidney failure, one may become unconscious, develop fits, and eventually die if one does not receive treatment.

Treatment options for end-stage kidney failure include:

• Haemodialysis: also known as blood dialysis, haemodialysis is a form of dialysis that takes place outside the body with a machine where blood is drawn from the arm through catheters
• Peritoneal dialysis: this is done at home through a catheter in the abdomen where a specialised fluid called dialysate is filled into the abdomen
• Kidney transplant: is a surgery to place a healthy kidney from a deceased or living donor 

Compared to haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for patients who are assessed by their doctor to be suitable.

Consulting your healthcare team is the best way to determine the most appropriate treatment option for your specific condition.

You can undergo a kidney transplant when you:

• Suffer from end-stage kidney failure, and already, or will soon require dialysis in order to maintain life and remain healthy
• Have been assessed by your doctor to be medically and psychologically fit to undergo transplantation
• Have a kidney available from a deceased or living donor for transplantation.

We care for patients with:

• End‑stage kidney failure, where the kidneys can no longer perform their essential functions 
• Complications of kidney failure, including hormone imbalance, bone disease, anaemia, and fluid overload 
• Complications related to dialysis or pre‑transplant disease progression
• Post‑transplant complications, such as rejection, infections (e.g., pneumonia, urinary tract infections, BK virus infection), and post‑transplant cancers

Our services include:

• Pre-Transplant Evaluation
  • Assess potential kidney transplant recipients
  • Evaluate living kidney donors
• Transplantation Procedures
  • Deceased donor kidney transplants
  • Living donor kidney transplants
  • ABO-incompatible kidney transplants
  • HLA-incompatible kidney transplants
  • Paired kidney donor exchange transplants
• Post-Transplant Care
  • Diagnose and manage transplant complications
  • Provide complex immunosuppression therapy
  • Offer transplant-related support for non-kidney transplant recipients
• Living Donor Care
  • Long-term follow-up and care for living kidney donors
• Patient Education and Support
  • Multidisciplinary counselling services
  • Comprehensive transplant education programs
• Transplant Counselling Services
  • Educational sessions on kidney transplantation and donation
  • Available at SGH
  • Support for patients and potential donors
• Specialised Transplant Services
  • Management of high-risk transplant cases
  • Innovative transplant techniques and research
  • Living kidney donor transplant for patients with Hepatitis C (HCV), Hepatitis B (HepB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Transplant Education Resources
  • Informational materials on transplant process
  • Support groups and peer mentoring programs

The transplant centre runs specialties clinics to cater for the needs of the programme: 

• Early Post-Transplant Care Clinic
  • Multidisciplinary follow-up for first 3-6 months post-transplant
  • Seamless transition to long-term care with primary kidney physician
• Transplant Assessment Clinic
  • Comprehensive evaluation by multidisciplinary team
  • Preparation for kidney transplantation
• Waitlist Management Clinic
  • Regular health checks for patients on deceased donor waitlist
  • Ensuring readiness for transplant when organ becomes available
• Living Donor Follow-Up Clinic
  • Annual health monitoring for previous kidney donors
  • Long-term care and support post-donation
• BK Management Clinic
  • Provides specialist care for the complex BK virus infection, which can cause kidney failure