When your kidneys fail and require a transplant, it’s a life-changing event. You may feel scared, anxious, and overwhelmed trying to understand the transplant process and what to expect.
While kidney disease is serious, a transplant can help improve your quality of life and potentially add many healthy years. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about kidney transplants.
What is a Kidney Transplant?
A kidney transplant is a surgery where a healthy kidney from one person (the donor) is placed into a person with kidney failure (the recipient). The new kidney takes over the job of filtering the blood, a task the failed kidneys can no longer perform effectively.
Eligibility for Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplant recipients are typically individuals with advanced kidney disease or chronic kidney disease who no longer have any kidney function or whose kidneys are not working optimally.
Eligibility for a kidney transplant involves a thorough medical evaluation of the potential recipient to ensure they are healthy enough to undergo surgery and have no other serious health issues that might affect the transplant’s success.
Age, underlying health conditions, and other factors also contribute to the eligibility criteria. Any person with kidney disease should talk to their kidney doctor about the possibility of a kidney transplant and request an evaluation to determine their eligibility.
The Kidney Transplant Procedure
Here are some steps of the kidney transplant procedure.
Pre-Transplant Evaluation
Before a kidney transplant, potential recipients undergo an extensive evaluation process. This includes:
- Physical Examination: This involves a thorough medical check-up to assess the patient’s overall health and identify any potential issues that might affect the success of the transplant.
- Laboratory Tests: Blood tests are performed to determine blood type and tissue type. These tests help find a compatible donor.
- Psychological Evaluation: This assessment ensures patients are emotionally prepared for the transplant and understand the necessity of lifelong medications and follow-up appointments post-surgery.
Finding a Donor
There are two types of kidney donors: living and deceased. A living person who donates one of their kidneys could be a family member, friend, or even a stranger who wants to help someone in need. While a deceased donor is a person who has recently passed away.
The Transplant Procedure
The kidney transplant procedure typically lasts around three to four hours. The steps include:
- Incision: The surgeon makes an incision in the lower abdomen.
- Placement: The donor kidney is placed into the recipient’s body. The original kidneys are usually left in place unless they’re causing problems.
- Connection: The blood vessels of the donor’s kidney are connected to the recipient’s blood vessels, and the ureter of the donor’s kidney is connected to the recipient’s bladder.
- Closure: The incision is closed with stitches or staples.
Post-Surgery Care
After the surgery, the patient may need to stay in the hospital several days to a week. This allows kidney transplant doctors to monitor the patient closely and ensure the new organ functions correctly.
The new kidney will often start producing urine almost immediately after the operation. However, in some cases, temporary dialysis may be necessary until the new kidney begins functioning fully.
Recovery Following Kidney Transplant
Typical recovery time after a kidney transplant is around eight weeks. It’s crucial during this period—and indeed, for the rest of their lives—that patients adhere to a regimen of prescribed medications. These medications are designed to suppress the immune system and prevent it from attacking—or ‘rejecting’—the new organ.
Regular follow-up appointments with the kidney transplant doctor and healthcare team are necessary to monitor the function of the new kidney and adjust medications as needed.
Any symptoms such as fever, pain, swelling, flu-like symptoms, or decreased urine production should be reported to the kidney transplant doctor immediately.
The average lifespan of a transplanted kidney is about ten years, but many last much longer. This depends largely on the patient’s overall health and adherence to their medication regimen.
Dietary Considerations
After a kidney transplant, it’s essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle to support the new kidney. This includes staying hydrated, avoiding raw or undercooked foods, getting enough protein in the diet, and avoiding certain medications and supplements that can harm the kidneys.
Quality of Life After Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplants offer a better quality of life compared to lifelong dialysis. This is because a functioning transplant provides a level of kidney function closer to that of individuals with healthy kidneys.
As a result, transplant recipients often have more energy, a less restricted diet, and fewer complications related to kidney disease.
Survival Rates for Kidney Transplants
The survival rates for kidney transplants are high, with a one-year survival rate of 95% and a three- to five-year survival rate of 90%. Many kidney transplant recipients can return to work within a few months after surgery, further enhancing their quality of life.
Nephrologist Near Me in SE Massachusetts
At Associates in Nephrology, we understand the complexities of kidney diseases and their impact on your life. Therefore, we offer comprehensive treatments for kidney issues, including kidney transplants.
Our team of experienced and compassionate nephrologists will perform a comprehensive assessment, provide the necessary information, answer all your questions, and support you before, during, and after the transplant procedure.
To know more about our comprehensive services or to schedule a consultation with one of our kidney doctors, contact us at (508) 587-0700 or use our online appointment request form.
