Show Captions. If life is like a river, than the longer it is, the better. And America has more than its share of long, winding rivers, from serene waterways through the plains to rushing rapids in canyons to enormous channels that are the lifeblood for commerce and transportation in the region. Think you know what America's longest river is?
Average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, however, many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years. Talk to your healthcare team about how to take care of yourself and stay healthy on dialysis.
Longer Life with a Transplant. On the other hand, patients who receive a kidney transplant typically live longer than those who stay on dialysis. A living donor kidney functions, on average, 12 to 20 years, and a deceased donor kidney from 8 to 12 years. Patients who get a kidney transplant before dialysis live an average of 10 to 15 years longer than if they stayed on dialysis.