Kidney Transplant
A kidney transplant is a procedure where a new donor kidney is placed in your body. This is typically done to treat kidney failure. Once attached, your new kidney will start to do the job of the failing organ. The transplanted kidney is usually placed on either the lower right or left side of your abdomen.
OVERVIEW
What is a kidney transplant?
A kidney transplant is a surgery that involves taking a healthy kidney from a donor and placing it into a person whose kidneys are no longer working properly.
Where does my new kidney come from?
Kidneys for transplantation might come from living donors or deceased organ donors. Immediate family members, spouses and friends may qualify for kidney donation. Deceased donor kidneys come from those who have elected to donate their organs upon death.
Potential kidney donors are carefully screened to make sure they’re a match. This helps prevent complications.
Why are kidney transplants done?
Kidney transplants are done to help people with chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal (kidney) failure. When your kidneys can no longer filter waste properly, you’ll need either dialysis (which uses a machine to remove waste from your bloodstream) or a kidney transplant.
PROCEDURE DETAILS
What are the kidney transplant requirements?
Each hospital has its own criteria for accepting people as kidney transplant recipients. But in general, candidates should have:
What is the best age for kidney transplant?
While most kidney transplant recipients are between the ages of 45 and 65, there really is no upper age limit. However, to ensure the best results, your healthcare provider will likely look for a donor who is close to your own age.
How many kidney transplants can a person have?
In some cases, people can have two and even three or four kidney transplants in their lifetime. Your healthcare provider can tell you if this is an option for you.
What disqualifies you from getting a kidney transplant?
Kidney transplants are approved on a case-by-case basis. However, there are some general factors that could make a person ineligible for a kidney transplant, such as:
No matter what your situation, your healthcare provider can determine whether a kidney transplant is a safe treatment option.
What happens during a kidney transplant procedure?
Kidney transplantation involves placing a healthy kidney into your body, where it can perform all of the functions that a failing kidney cannot.
Your new kidney is placed on the lower right or left side of your abdomen where it’s surgically connected to nearby blood vessels. Placing the kidney in this position allows it to be easily connected to blood vessels and your bladder. The vein and artery of your new kidney are attached to your vein and artery. The new kidney's ureter is attached to your bladder to allow urine to pass out of your body.
What happens to my old kidneys?
In most cases, your surgeon will leave your diseased kidneys inside your body. However, there are three conditions that might require the removal of your old kidneys:
How long is kidney transplant surgery?
On average, kidney transplant surgery takes two to four hours to complete.
What happens after a kidney transplant?
Most people spend about three days in the hospital after a kidney transplant. This way, your medical team can keep a close eye on you and make sure you’re recovering well.
Your new transplanted kidney may start working immediately. Or, you may need dialysis temporarily until it starts working. This might take several days or weeks.
You’ll also need to start taking medications to keep your immune system from rejecting your new transplanted kidney.
What will my kidney transplant scar look like?
Your scar will be about 2 to 5 inches long, on the right or left side of your lower abdomen.
How long does a kidney transplant last?
How long a kidney transplant lasts can vary from person to person. In general, kidneys donated by a living person last longer than kidneys donated by a deceased person. On average, however, transplanted kidneys last approximately 10 years.
RISKS / BENEFITS
What are the benefits of kidney transplant?
A successful kidney transplant gives you increased strength, stamina and energy. After transplantation, you should be able to return to a more normal lifestyle and have more control over your daily living. You can have unrestricted diet and fluid intake. If you were dependent on dialysis before the transplant, you'll have more freedom because you won't be bound to your dialysis schedules. Anemia, a common problem with kidney failure, might be corrected after transplantation. If you have hypertension (high blood pressure), you could be on fewer blood pressure medications after transplantation.
What are the risks of kidney transplant?
The risks of kidney transplantation are the same as those of any surgery. There is the risk of bleeding, infection or breathing problems. You also might experience some side effects from the medications, and you could be more prone to infections since the medicine you will take after transplantation lowers your body's ability to fight infection.
Kidney transplant rejection
Since your body recognizes the new kidney as a foreign object, it will normally try to get rid of it or "reject" it. However, you’ll be given medicine to prevent rejection.
Because of years of experience, research, and improved medicines that prevent rejection, kidney transplants are very successful with few complications after transplantation.
Is kidney transplant better than dialysis?
While both options have pros and cons, kidney transplant is often the preferred treatment for chronic kidney disease. This is because lifelong dialysis can be taxing. Kidney transplant offers a better quality of life for most people, and studies show that those who have a successful kidney transplant live longer on average compared to those who receive dialysis.