Kidney transplantation remains the gold standard for managing end-stage kidney disease, providing superior survival and quality-of-life outcomes compared to dialysis. Despite the ongoing gap between organ availability and demand, it is inevitable that kidney transplantation will continue to grow. This is owed to broader organ sharing, increased comfort of transplant programs with marginal kidney utilization, and the expansion of paired exchange among living donor kidneys. The evolution of kidney transplantation could not have been possible without the availability of effective immunosuppressive regimens that prevent rejection and maintain graft function. Mycophenolic acid and calcineurin inhibitors continue to serve as the foundation of modern maintenance immunosuppression. While these agents have markedly reduced acute rejection rates, their long-term efficacy in graft survival remains suboptimal. Alternative immunosuppressive therapies, including belatacept and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, have demonstrated potential benefits. However, concerns regarding an increased risk of rejection have limited their widespread adoption as primary treatment options. In addition to ongoing efforts to refine steroid- and calcineurin inhibitor-sparing strategies, the identification of practical and quantifiable biomarkers for predicting long-term graft survival remains a critical objective. This review evaluates contemporary immunosuppressive protocols, highlights existing challenges, and explores future directions for optimizing long-term transplant outcomes.

The evaluation of living kidney donor candidates is a complex and lengthy process. Donor candidates face geographic and socioeconomic barriers to completing donor evaluation. Inequities in access to living donations persist. With a growing demand for kidney transplants and a shortage of living donors, transplant centers are more permissive of accepting less-than-ideal donor candidates. Donors have an increased lifetime risk of kidney failure, but the absolute risk increase is small. Efforts are needed to support donor candidates to complete donor nephrectomy safely and efficiently and receive optimal follow-up care to prevent risk factors for kidney disease and detect complications early. In this article, the authors address key elements of donor kidney evaluation, including current living donation policy requirements and transplant center practices. The authors present a simplified comprehensive practical approach to help guide providers in completing donor evaluation and follow-up care with best outcomes possible.