Kidney Transplant

     Kidney transplantation, like dialysis, is a treatment option for patients with chronic kidney failure and not a cure to the disease. A kidney transplant is where a healthy functioning kidney is surgically implanted in a patient; they are expected to last between 12-15 years. There are certain qualifications one must meet to be a candidate for a kidney transplant. The patient must be actively involved in their health, meaning they are taking their medication, following the appropriate diet, drinking enough fluids, etc. The patient must also be evaluated by the doctor/renal team to ensure they are in good condition to go through with the operation. In the United States, there are over 30,000 people living with a functioning kidney transplant. 

    There are two ways a kidney may be obtained for a transplant. Either a living family member can donate a kidney. The family member must be free of any health problems and their blood and tissue type must be compatible with the kidney transplant candidate. It is important to understand that a person is able to survive on one kidney. If a person donated a kidney, the remaining healthy kidney would increase in size to maintain function. The preferred age for a living-related donor is 18-60 years old. Another way to obtain a kidney is through a cadaver. One family's loss of a loved one may help another family's mother/father/child live a healthier life. The recently deceased person or their family will choose to donate their kidneys to someone in need. The cadaver kidney must meet certain criteria to ensure a healthy kidney and transplant. The wait time for cadaver kidneys can be extensive, sometimes exceeding a year or longer. The waiting list varies from patient to patient as depending on their blood/tissue type, it may be more difficult to find a compatible donor. It is estimated that over 80% of all kidney transplants come from cadaver donors. The difficulty with cadaver transplants is that the pool of eligible transplant patients continues to increase, while the supply of kidneys is inadequate. Factors such as waiting lists, use of immunotherapy, and management of infections all must be considered. 

    Maintaining a healthy lifestyle after a kidney transplant is of the utmost importance. It is recommended that in order to take care of a transplanted kidney many rules must be followed, such as: 

• Maintaining physical fitness
• Regular visits with your renal team/physician 
• Immediate reports of problems
• Maintaining a proper diet
• Taking medication 
• Monitoring vital signs closely in the first three months after transplantation. 

After having a kidney transplant, the patient must be prescribed immunosuppressant drugs so the patient does not reject the new kidney. The medication will suppress the body's normal response to a foreign object in the body. The immunosuppressants must be taken daily. Taking these drugs also comes with the risk of getting other viral illnesses since the immune system is being compromised. 

Sources: 

Augustine J. Kidney transplant: New opportunities and challenges. Cleve Clin J Med. 2018 Feb;85(2):138-144. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.85gr.18001. PMID: 29425089.

Patient Manual [Leaflet]. (2019). Dialysis Clinic, Inc.