A kidney transplant gives you a healthy kidney from another person. You may need a transplant if your kidneys work poorly because of diabetes, high blood pressure, or another illness.
You need only one kidney to live. The new kidney can do the work that your own kidneys cannot. It will remove waste from your blood. It will keep your body's fluids and chemicals in balance. You are likely to feel better and have more energy.
You have to meet certain rules to be able to get a kidney. For example, your overall health (other than kidney problems) has to be good.
Getting a new kidney can take a long time. If you're getting your kidney from a living donor, you may not have to wait long. But if it's from a person who has died, your name is put on a waiting list.
After a kidney transplant, you will have to take medicines called immunosuppressants. These medicines are very important. When you take them as prescribed, they help prevent your body from rejecting your new kidney. You will need to take medicines for the rest of your life.
These medicines weaken the function of your immune system. This means that you will have an increased risk for serious infections or cancer.
Even if you take your medicines, there is a chance that your body will reject your new kidney. If this happens, you will have to start dialysis again or have another kidney transplant.
If you have severe chronic kidney disease and choose to have a kidney transplant, you may live longer than if you choose to treat your kidney disease with dialysis alone.
In the past, transplants using a kidney from a first-degree relative, such as your father, mother, brother, or sister, worked best. But with modern antirejection drugs, kidneys from people you aren't related to work well too. Transplants from living donors or from deceased donors can succeed.
During the first weeks to months after your surgery, your body may try to reject your new kidney. This is called acute rejection. It occurs in about 1 out of 10 people in the first year after transplant. Most of the time, acute rejection can be treated with antirejection (immunosuppressive) medicines.
Within a few days, you may start to feel much better than you did before. But you may have some pain or soreness in your belly or side. This can last for several weeks.
Most people go home from the hospital 5 to 10 days after surgery. It will probably take about 4 weeks before you can get back to your job or usual activities.
After surgery, the new kidney will start to do the work that your own kidneys cannot. It will remove waste from your blood and balance your body's fluids and chemicals. Your new kidney may start working very soon after surgery. Or it may take a few weeks. If your kidney doesn't start to work right away, you will need to have dialysis until the new kidney can take over.
After the transplant, you'll have to take medicines every day from now on. The medicines will help keep your body from rejecting the new kidney. They will also make your immune system weaker. This means you will be more likely to get an infection or become sick. To reduce your risk of infection, wash your hands often. Stay away from crowds of people, and avoid contact with people who have a cold or the flu.
If your body starts to reject the kidney, your doctor may be able to stop the rejection. But if not, you will need to have dialysis again. It's possible that you can have another transplant.
You may have many different emotions after your kidney transplant. You may feel grateful and happy. But you also may feel guilty or depressed. These feelings are common. It may help to talk about your feelings with your doctor and family.
A kidney transplant is surgery to give you a healthy kidney from another person. The new kidney may have come from someone you know, a stranger, or a person who has died. You need only one healthy kidney to live.
Your belly and side will be sore for the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You also may have some numbness around the cut (incision) the doctor made. You may feel tired while you are healing. It may take 3 to 6 weeks for your energy to fully return.
After the transplant, you must take medicine to keep your body from rejecting the new kidney. You will need to take anti-rejection medicine every day from now on. These medicines have side effects. One side effect is that your body may be less able to fight infections. It's important to take steps to avoid infections. Stay away from crowds of people and anyone who might have an infection or an illness such as a cold or the flu.
Your new kidney may start working very soon after surgery, or it may take a few weeks. If your kidney doesn't start to work right away, you'll need to have dialysis until the new kidney can take over.
Having an organ transplant can bring up many emotions. You may feel grateful and happy. But you also may feel guilty or depressed. Seek out family, friends, and counselors for support. If you think you are depressed, ask your doctor for help. Treatment can help you feel better.
Kidney transplant surgery is done so that a healthy kidney (donor kidney) can do what your diseased kidney can no longer do. Kidney transplant is used when you have severe chronic kidney disease (renal failure) that cannot be reversed by another treatment method. You will not be able to have this surgery if you have an active infection, another life-threatening disease such as cancer, or severe heart or lung disease.
For a living-donor kidney transplant, the recipient's diseased or damaged kidneys usually are left in place. The donor's kidney is placed in the recipient's lower abdomen and connected to blood vessels and the bladder. The recipient's and donor's surgeries are carried out at the same time in different operating rooms.
The transplant usually takes 3 to 6 hours.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
The risks of having a kidney transplant include:
During kidney transplant surgery, a healthy kidney (donor kidney) replaces your own diseased kidneys, which may or may not be removed.
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
©2011-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated