What s a kidney transplant?

A kidney transplant is an operation that places a healthy kidney from another person into your body. The kidney may come from someone who has died (non-living) or from a living donor who may be a close relative, a spouse or friend or someone who wished to donate a kidney to any­one in need of a transplant. The failed kidneys may be left in place in your body. Your new kid­ney will be placed in your lower abdomen and connected to your bladder and blood vessels.

The transplant operation takes about three hours and you will be in the hospital for approximately five to seven days. After the transplant, you will need to take special medications to prevent your body from rejecting the new kidney. You will have to take these medications as long as you have the transplant. Many patients want to have a trans­plant because it gives them more freedom, allows for a less restricted diet and eliminates the need for dialysis.

Can I get transplant before going on dialysis?

This will depend on whether your health care team feels a transplant is right for you. Your doctor will refer you to a transplant center for tests. If a family member is willing to donate a kidney, the tests can be started right away, and if there is a “match” in blood and tissue types, surgery can be scheduled. However if you do not have a living donor, you will need to be on a wait­ing list until a suitably matched—living donor kidney becomes available. In the meantime, you can receive dialysis treatments.

How is the right kidney found for me?

Determining in advance whether a donated kidney is likely to be tolerated is crucial to the success of your transplant. It is essential that your donors blood type –whether it is A, B, A/B or A B O.

Your blood will also be tested to determine whether you have antibodies. Antibodies are substances your body produces to destroy foreign matter. The blood results are then are entered by technologists into a computer at United Network (UN) so that when a cadaver donor kidney becomes available, you will be evaluated to see if you are an appropriate candidate for the kidney.