What is kidney transplantation?
Kidney transplantation is when a surgeon places a new, healthy donor kidney inside your body. The new kidney takes on the workload of your old kidney to prevent you from requiring dialysis. Your new kidney might come from a healthy-living family member or a donor who has recently passed away.
Is kidney transplantation right for me?
You might be a candidate for kidney transplantation if you have advanced kidney disease or require dialysis regularly. Your risk of experiencing kidney damage increases with diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, or polycystic kidney disease.
You might desire a kidney transplant if you undergo dialysis but would like the option to avoid it and experience a better quality of life with lower treatment costs. Dialysis is a treatment that removes waste and excess fluid from your blood -- a job your kidneys typically do.
To determine if a kidney transplant is right for you, your doctor reviews your medical history, lifestyle, and desired outcome. They complete a physical exam, have you undergo needed blood tests, urine tests, or other diagnostic tests, and discuss the pros and cons of kidney transplantation.
How should I prepare for kidney transplantation?
Before kidney transplantation, you meet with Kidney360 providers to prepare you for what to expect during the procedure. Specialists must match you with a donor, whether it’s a living family member or a deceased donor.
Take medications as prescribed, follow exercise and diet guidelines, and don’t smoke. If you’re on a list to receive a kidney from a donor, have your phone with you at all times so your doctor can reach you. Keep a packed hospital bag handy, and make arrangements for a friend or family member to drive you to a transplant center on short notice.
What happens during the procedure?
Just before kidney transplantation, you’re given general anesthesia to put you to sleep so you don’t feel any pain. Your surgeon makes an incision in your lower abdomen and places a new kidney inside your body. They attach blood vessels from the new kidney to the lower part of your abdomen and connect the new kidney’s ureter to your bladder.
Your surgeon then closes the incision and takes you to a recovery area. Your new kidney might make urine as soon as blood flows through it. Sometimes, however, it takes a few weeks for a new kidney to start working optimally.
What should I expect after kidney transplantation?
After kidney transplantation, plan to spend several days up to a week in a surgery center. After the procedure, you take medications for the rest of your life to prevent your body from rejecting the new kidney.
Follow all post-surgery instructions. Get plenty of rest, follow diet and activity guidelines, take medications as prescribed, and attend routine checkups.
If you experience symptoms of kidney damage or you must undergo dialysis regularly, call Kidney360 or book an appointment online today to determine if you’re a candidate for kidney transplantation.
