Background: The high cost of maintenance of haemodialysis makes most patients in India and elsewhere opt for a renal transplant. The degree of rehabilitation can best be assessed by evaluating the quality of life in successful recipients.
Methods: We studied vocational rehabilitation, social relations, sexual and married life, psychological status and life satisfaction in 51 successful live-related renal allograft recipients using Schwab's depressive scale, Bigot's life satisfaction index and the Kamofsky physical scale.
Results: Eight-four per cent of our patients had returned to their original jobs. Ninety-eight per cent of patients had a Kamofsky scale of 90-100 and 81% were leading a normal married life. Ninety-four per cent of them led an active social life.
Conclusion: Successful live-related renal transplantation is associated with a good quality of life and should be the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease.