What is a kidney transplant?

Kidney transplant, also referred as Renal Transplantation is a surgical procedure in which a diseased kidney is replaced with healthy kidney from a living or cadaveric i.e. deceased donor.

Kidney Transplantation is a treatment option for patients with end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure in which the kidneys of the patient fails to perform their basic function of filtering blood.

Common causes of end-stage kidney disease include:

• Diabetes
• Chronic, uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Chronic Glomerulonephritis — an inflammation and eventual scarring of the tiny filters within your kidneys (glomeruli)
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Cancer of kidney

Continuous kidney failure or untreated kidney disease may eventually affect other vital organs of the body and can cause multiple organ failures and ultimately lead to death. Kidney transplant involves surgical procedures on patient as well as donor, if kidney is donated by a living donor.

Kidney transplant surgery encompasses surgical procedures on both i.e. living donor and recipient of kidney under anesthesia which usually takes 3-4 hours.

Surgery on donor for removal of kidney can be done in two ways:

• Open Nephrectomy – Traditional surgical procedure
• Laparoscopic Nephrectomy – minimally invasive surgical technique

A larger incision is given in abdomen to remove kidney for transplantation to the recipient patient. Laparoscopic Nephrectomy procedure causes less discomfort, blood loss and faster recovery. Concurrently, kidney transplant surgery on the kidney recipient is performed under general anesthesia to place the donated kidney and usually takes 3-4 hours.

Kidney transplant surgery in India is performed at various world-class hospitals by highly qualified and skilled doctors.

Who needs a kidney transplant?

The kidney transplant becomes necessary when around 90% of kidneys cells i.e. nephrons lose their filtering ability which is an end-stage renal disease or renal failure stage and can be life threatening.

For patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a kidney transplant is the only treatment option to stay alive and lead a normal life.

Risk factors about kidney transplant

The significant risk factors that can cause complications following Kidney transplant surgery is delayed graft function i.e. ‘Sleepy Kidney’.

One of the most crucial risk factor following a kidney transplant is failure or rejection of the donated kidney as body’s immune system does not recognize the new donated kidney. That is why doctors suppress the patient’s immune system with immunosuppressive medicines.

In addition, Kidney transplant patient may also have risks of:

• Blood clots and bleeding
• Urine Leak and Urinomas
• Urinary Obstruction
• Peri-transplant Fluid Collections that include Urinomas, Hematomas and  Lymphocytes
• Urinary Calculi development
• Abscesses and Infection
• Vascular Complications like Renal Artery Stenosis or  Infarction  resulting from Hyper acute Rejection
• Renal Vein Thrombosis
• Arterio-venous Fistulas and Pseudo-aneurysms, occasionally seen after graft biopsies
• Gastrointestinal complications like gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to peptic ulcer
• An infection
• Cancer that can be transmitted with the donated kidney

How much time one can lead a normal life after Kidney transplant?

Usually, average life expectancy for patients on dialysis can be around 5 years. However, patients who receive a kidney transplant have better chance of living longer than patients on dialysis.  Generally, patients with living donor kidney functions well and they can live, on average, 12 to 20 years.

Whereas, a kidney harvested from deceased donor, usually functions well for 8 to 12 years. Kidney transplant benefits more for younger adults than older adults.

In order to get free consultation for kidney transplant in India, you may ask your doctor for referral to a local transplant center or may directly contact India Organ Transplant 

Call: +91-9765025331
Email: info@indiaorgantransplant.com

Add This Entry To Your CureZone Favorites!