This Ninth Report of the Renal Transplant Registry summarizes data from 5,952 kidney transplants in 5,432 patients reported to the registry since 1953. The renal diseases most frequently responsible for renal failure, chosen to be treated by transplantation, include glomerulonephritis (60%), pyelonephritis (16%), and polycystic renal disease (5%). A trend toward increasing use of cadaver kidneys as a donor source and away from living donors is noted. Very little difference is noted in patient survival and duration of function of transplants performed during the last four years, and donor and recipient age have little apparent influence upon the ultimate results of grafting. The current patient survival in recipients receiving a familial graft approaches 90% at one year and 75% at two years. Comparable figures for patients receiving a cadaver graft are 70% at one year and 60% at two years.