Three-year experience with the new Eurotransplant Kidney Allocation System

On March 11, 1996 a new Kidney Allocation System(ETKAS) was implemented in the EurotransplantInternational Foundation w1x. This new allocationscheme was the product of several simulation studiesand expected to shorten the average and maximumwaiting time of patients, to increase the transplantchances of patients with rare or homozygous HLAphenotypes, and to balance the national kidneyexchange rates; at the same time, excellent HLAmatching, and thus optimal graft survival, wouldbe safeguarded. The impact of the new ETKAS onthe outcome, 3 years after its implementation wasinvestigated.