Kidney Transplant
Overview
Before a kidney transplant, the patient is evaluated by a healthcare team to determine if they are a suitable candidate for the procedure. This evaluation may include blood tests, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tests to assess the patient’s overall health and identify any potential risks associated with the transplant.
If the patient is deemed a suitable candidate, they are placed on a waiting list for a suitable donor kidney. Kidneys can be obtained from living donors, such as family members or friends, or from deceased donors through organ donation programs.
Once a suitable donor kidney is identified, the transplant surgery is performed. During the surgery, the donor’s kidney is connected to the patient’s blood vessels and urinary tract. After the surgery, the patient will need to take immunosuppressive medications to prevent the body from rejecting the donor’s kidney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patients with end-stage kidney disease who have exhausted other treatment options such as dialysis may be candidates for kidney transplant. Candidates must be evaluated by a healthcare team to determine if they are physically and emotionally capable of undergoing the procedure.
The waiting time for a kidney transplant varies depending on the availability of donor kidneys and the patient’s blood type and other factors. The wait time can range from a few months to several years.
Yes, living people can donate a kidney for transplant. This is known as living donor transplantation and can often result in better outcomes for the recipient.
Kidney transplant has a high success rate, with around 90% of transplanted kidneys functioning well after one year and around 65-75% functioning well after five years. However, success rates vary depending on the patient’s health and other factors.
The risks of kidney transplant include the risk of infection, organ rejection, and complications related to the surgery and immunosuppressive medications. Patients must undergo close monitoring and management by healthcare professionals to manage these risks.
The longevity of a transplanted kidney varies, but the average lifespan of a transplanted kidney is around 10-15 years. However, some kidneys can last for many years or even decades with proper care and management.
Yes, it is possible for a person to undergo a second kidney transplant if the first one fails. However, the success rate of a second transplant may be lower than that of the first transplant.