How is a Kidney Transplant Surgery done?

Kidney transplant surgery involves the removal of a healthy kidney from one person (donor) and transplanting it into a patient with chronic end stage renal disease (recipient). If successful, a kidney transplant restores sufficient kidney function so that a patient may no longer need dialysis.

A healthy kidney may be taken from a deceased (dead) organ donor (within 48 hours of the donor's death) or from a living donor, usually a blood relative.

In order to increase the likelihood of a successful kidney transplant, it is important to first analyze a variety of factors, including blood type and the nature of antibodies in both donor and recipient. The chances of successful transplant are increased when these factors match, in the donor and recipient. Improvements in medications that suppress the immune system may, however, reduce the need for perfect matching.

Kidney Transplant Surgery

A kidney transplant surgery is two dimensional. It begins with the removal of a healthy kidney from a donor, then transplanting the kidney to a recipient patient. The most current technique for removing a healthy kidney from a living donor is called Laparoscopy.

With this procedure, several dime-shaped incisions are made in the abdomen of the donor. Hollow tubes are then inserted into the incisions. A fiber optic camera is placed into one of the incision to transmit images onto a monitor. This allows the surgeons to view the kidney during the operation.

Surgical instruments for retrieving the kidney are placed in the other tubes. The kidney of the donor is then encased in plastic then removed by the surgeons. After the operation the donor usually requires two to three days in the hospital to recover.

The healthy kidney is then transplanted into the recipient patient through a surgical incision in the lower abdomen. The blood supply to the new kidney is then established by attaching the veins and arteries of the recipient to the organ, and the nearest ureter (tube joining the kidney to the bladder) is also attached. when the new kidney is transplanted, the patient's existing diseased kidneys may or may not be removed, depending on the circumstances surrounding the kidney failure. For example, if cancer is the cause of the kidney failure, the diseased kidneys will most likely be removed.

The entire procedure of removing a kidney from a donor and transplanting it to a recipient takes an average of three hours. After the transplant, a regiment of immunosuppressive (or anti-rejection) medication and a special diet are required. This helps to suppress the immune system of the recipient to reduce the risk of the body rejecting the kidney of the donor.

The greatest risks after a kidney transplant surgery is the risk that the recipient's immune system may reject the new kidney. It is, therefore, important to have proper post surgery care for the recipient. This risk is minimized by immunosuppressive (or anti-rejection) medication.

Once the body, however, does not reject the kidney and it begins to function properly, the patient can lead a relatively normal life. Successful kidney transplants have provided tremendous benefits to the recipient. In most cases the patient's life is extended by many years and they are able to enjoy a much better quality of life.

A kidney transplant surgery is relatively safe and it is the most effective treatment available to patients with chronic end stage renal disease. Undoubtedly, kidney transplant offers patients enormous hope of a longer and significantly better quality of life.

Unfortunately, many patients in need of a kidney transplant surgery have great difficulty finding a donor... since the availability of kidney donors, or donated kidneys, is far exceeded by the demand.

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