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Kidney transplant

Kidney transplant

Definition

A kidney transplant is surgery to place a healthy kidney into a person with kidney failure.

Alternative Names

Renal transplant; Transplant - kidney

Description

Kidney transplants are one of the most common transplant operations in the United States.

A donated kidney is needed to perform a kidney transplant.

The donated kidney may be from:

  • Living related donor -- related to the recipient, such as a parent, sibling, or child
  • Living unrelated donor -- such as a friend or spouse
  • Deceased donor -- a person who has recently died and who has no known chronic kidney disease

People with chronic kidney disease can receive lifesaving dialysis until a donated kidney becomes available. The healthy kidney is transported in cool salt water (saline) that preserves the organ for up to 48 hours. This gives the health care providers time to perform tests that match the donor's and recipient's blood and tissue before the operation.

PROCEDURE FOR A LIVING KIDNEY DONOR

If you are donating a kidney, you will be placed under general anesthesia before surgery. This means you will be asleep and pain-free. The surgeon makes a cut in the side of your abdomen, removes the proper kidney, and then closes the wound. The procedure used to require a long surgical cut. However, today surgeons can use a short surgical cut (mini-nephrectomy) or laparoscopic techniques.

PROCEDURE FOR THE KIDNEY RECIPIENT

People receiving a kidney transplant are given general anesthesia before surgery. The surgeon makes a cut in the lower belly area and stitches the new kidney into place. The wound is then closed.

Risks

The risks for any anesthesia are:

  • Problems breathing
  • Reactions to medications
The risks for any surgery are:
  • Bleeding
  • Infection
Other risks include:
  • Infection due to medications that suppress the immune response that must be taken to prevent transplant rejections
Review Date: 2/7/2008
Reviewed By: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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