Kidney Transplantation
Kidney transplantation is performed to replace diseased or malfunctioning kidney with a healthy kidney of dead or living donor. The replaced kidney functions normally just as the original. The kidney donor may be
- Living relative –close relative of patient, such as, sibling, parent or child
- Living un-related- spouse or friend
- Deceased donor- recently dead person did not have known chronic kidney disease
Why is it needed?
Kidney transplantation is advised in the case of last/ end stage renal disease or kidney failure due to :
- Chronic glomerulonephritis
- Tuberculosis, chronic pyelonephritis or other long term infection
- Diabetic nephropathy
- Congenital defects like polycystic kidneys
- Tumours
- Uncontrolled hypertension
- Obstructions due to calculi
Facts and figures
- National Kidney Foundation has estimated that approximately 350,000 people in US suffer from End-stage renal disease
- 67,000 people die from kidney failure annually
- On average, approx 16,000 kidneys are transplanted annually in US
- First human-to-human kidney transplant was performed in 1911, by Dr L.J. Hammond, Philadelphia
Advantages
- Kidney transplant extends patient life
- Dialysis not required after kidney transplantion, thus saving patient’s energy, time and money
- Improves quality of life of the patient as he can eat normal food
Disadvantages
- After kidney transplantation, patient has to take immunosuppressive medicines lifleong
- Long waiting period
- Patient becomes susceptible infection due to immunosuppressive medicines
Risk and complications
- Reaction to medication or anaesthesia
- Breathing problems
- Bleeding
- Kidney rejection
- Infection
- Bladder leakage
- Internal organ damage
- Death
Preoperative Preparation
- Full body physical examination
- Blood, urinalysis
- USG, X-Rays, ECG etc
- After eligibility, patients have to wait for donor kidney
- Relatives and patients are informed about procedure, including the risks as well as follow up care
- Surgeon should be consulted week before to know medicine requirement and medicines stopped
- Have arrangement for help after surgery with family and friends
- Arrangement of blood transfusion, during or post surgery
- Preparation of home for recovery after surgery as advised
- Do not drink or eat anything post midnight, night before surgery is scheduled
- Medical tourists are advised to prepare for a long trip
Post operative care
- Patient is kept in the ICU post surgery for 3-4 days. Vital signs are monitored and after patient stabilizes, he/she is shifted to a room, and monitored. Up to 3 weeks hospital stay is possible
- Liquid diet is prescribes post surgery. Patient can eat low salt solids gradually
- Patient can slowly walk then resume daily life gradually
- Patients are taught how to change dressing etc. Any symptom/s of infection or rejection before hospital discharge is monitored. Patients have to take extreme care for first 3 months after surgery to avoid infections.
Dos, Don’ts and Precautions:
- Do follow doctor prescribed diet. Patient has to eat food which has less salt
- Follow –up regularly while monitoring signs of infection and rejection
- Liquid diet is prescribed post surgery. Low salt solids are to be included in diet gradually
- Patient should walk slowly first, then start to resume normal day to day activities
- Patients are instructed about their dressing care, how to monitor symptoms of infection or rejection etc before being discharged from hosiptal.
- Patients have to be extremely careful after surgery to avoid infections
Kidney Transplantation patients have to consume immunosuppressive medicines lifelong. Complete recovery can take about 6 months. Post transplant, constant medical care and doctor guidance can prevent complications. A successful transplantation can help the patient to live a healthy and long life.
