Kidney Transplant Health Feed

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that patients of kidney disease go through in order to replace a non functioning kidney with a live one that is healthy and functions well. Other methods to treat this disease also include dialysis, which basically is an artificial way of doing what our kidneys are designed to do.

When dialysis does not work, many doctors recommend a kidney transplant. A replacement or donated kidney can come from a living donor or a non-living donor. This new kidney will mostly work towards keeping the blood clean, which is a function that stops when the old and diseased kidneys fail.

So, here's a list of five essential facts that you need to keep in mind if you are looking at a kidney transplant:

1. Donors: While there are living and non-living donors, the doctor will have to ensure that your donor is someone who has no medical history of complications, kidney disease or any other medical condition like diabetes or hypertension. Also, the donor would have to have two proper functioning kidneys. Further, one of the most important factors is the blood group. The blood group of the donor and the patient must match for the transplant to be possible.
2. Procedure: During the surgery, the patient will be under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision in the lower abdomen area and the blood vessels of the new kidney will be connected surgically with the vein and iliac artery of the patient. Thereafter, any excess fluid will be drained before wrapping up the surgery.
3. Rejection: The patient's body may also reject the kidney. The immune system of the patient may mistake the new kidney as an attacking body and its natural defenses may work against it, which will lead to complications. For this, doctors usually prescribe immunosuppressant medicines that will help in preventing such an eventuality.
4. Longevity: While a living donor's kidney may last longer, a non-living donor's kidney will not enjoy such a long life. In such cases, a second transplant can be conducted.
5. Diet: After the transplant, the patient will be required to go through a number of measures like coughing to show that the lungs are clear, as well as administration of fluids and some amount of examination and dialysis. Also, the patient will have to have a special diet that includes raw fruits and vegetables, and plenty of non-fat dairy ingredients.

A kidney transplant is a major operation that can change your lifestyle in the long run.

A kidney transplant is a procedure that employs an operation to transplant properly functioning kidney in the body. The main job of the kidneys is to remove the excess waste from a person’s body with the help of a filtration process. When the kidneys stop filtering the toxins properly, they become diseased as harmful waste products and toxins begin to accumulate in the body. Following this, the patient has to go through treatment measures like dialysis or kidney transplant.

Read on to know the five things you should keep in mind about a kidney transplant.

1. Treatment: Transplant is one of the best ways to treat chronic kidney disease stage-V, until unless it is contraindicated. Life becomes near normal after transplant, though there is a possibility of rejection of transplant kidney. Patient has to take immunosuppressive medication life long. 
    
2. Medication: Medications are mainly for:
   1. To prevent rejection: Patient takes immunosuppressive medications life long.
   2. Prevention of infection: Patient has to take care all the measures to prevent infections as they are more prone to infections.
   3. Other medication: To control diabetes, HTN etc. 
       
3. Family Only: The donors are from family or emotionally related or cadavers (after brain death). HLA-matched donors are better because of less chances of rejections and first reduction of immunosuppressive. 
    
4. Doing Your Part: Once transplant is done - patient becomes normal and he/she lives a normal life. However, they have to take regular medications and to protect themselves from various infection. 
    
5. End Stage Renal Diseases: These diseases includes diabetes mellitus, HTN, polycystic kidney disease, chronic glomerulonephritis or interstitial nephritis etc.

A kidney transplant is a procedure that employs an operation to transplant properly functioning kidney in the body. The main job of the kidneys is to remove the excess waste from a person’s body with the help of a filtration process. When the kidneys stop filtering the toxins properly, they become diseased as harmful waste products and toxins begin to accumulate in the body. Following this, the patient has to go through treatment measures like dialysis or kidney transplant.

Read on to know the five things you should keep in mind about a kidney transplant.

1. Treatment: Transplant is one of the best ways to treat chronic kidney disease stage-V, until unless it is contraindicated. Life becomes near normal after transplant, though there is a possibility of rejection of transplant kidney. Patient has to take immunosuppressive medication life long. 
2. Medication: Medications are mainly for:
   1. To prevent rejection: Patient takes immunosuppressive medications life long.
   2. Prevention of infection: Patient has to take care all the measures to prevent infections as they are more prone to infections.
   3. Other medication: To control diabetes, HTN etc. 
3. Family Only: The donors are from family or emotionally related or cadavers (after brain death). HLA-matched donors are better because of less chances of rejections and first reduction of immunosuppressive. 
4. Doing Your Part: Once transplant is done - patient becomes normal and he/she lives a normal life. However, they have to take regular medications and to protect themselves from various infection. 
5. End Stage Renal Diseases: These diseases includes diabetes mellitus, HTN, polycystic kidney disease, chronic glomerulonephritis or interstitial nephritis etc.

Consult your Nephrologist before going for renal transplant for detailed check up or line of action.

A kidney transplantation is a surgical procedure where a diseased kidney is replaced with a healthy one.

Once the surgery is over and you are recuperating, it is very important that you make certain alterations to your diet to facilitate faster recovery. You need to maintain your weight and exercise on a regular basis.

What Does a Balanced Diet Include?

After the surgery, eat meals or food items that are low in sodium. A properly balanced diet should include ample amounts of fresh fruits, lean meats, fresh vegetables, dairy products that are low in fat. Drink sufficient amount of water (2-3 litres) to keep yourself hydrated.

Why Do You Need to Supervise Your Diet?

Post a kidney transplantation surgery the patient will need to take anti-rejection drugs which are also known as immunosuppressive drugs. These medications lower the risk of the new kidney being rejected by the body. On the flip side, these drugs suppress the immune system making you vulnerable to infections. A healthy diet will ensure that you don’t fall ill.

What Food Items Should You Avoid?

• Consuming undercooked or raw meat, poultry and seafood such as squid, crabs or prawns.
• Consuming dairy products that have been made from unpasteurized milk such as yoghurt and cheese.
• Undercooked or uncooked eggs or any food items that might contain such eggs
• Fruits such as pomegranates or grapefruits
• Unwashed salads, sprouts and vegetables.

Restrain Caution when Consuming Carbohydrates:

When you are taking drugs, it is difficult for the body to utilize all the extra carbohydrates that you consume. This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Carbohydrate-laden food items come from starches and sugars and provide fuel for the body.

In short right after a kidney transplantation surgery, you need to make sure that you are following a diet that is high in proteins but low in sugar. In order to avoid developing diabetes or any associated disease during this phase consult with your healthcare provider and chalk out a proper dietary plan.

Kidney transplant surgery is a surgical procedure where a healthy kidney is used to substitute a diseased one. The healthy kidney is obtained from either a deceased donor or a family member who has a good blood type match with the recipient. Usually, the recipient receives one kidney if the donor is alive and/or both the kidneys from a deceased donor.

Certain reasons for going for a kidney transplant surgery might include:
1. Kidney failure due to diabetes
2. Infections in the urinary tract
3. Autoimmune disorders such as lupus (an autoimmune disorder)
4. Polycystic kidney disorders
5. Obstructions in the kidney
6. Glomerulonephritis, where inflammation occurs in the kidney

Preparation for the surgery
Before the procedure, certain tests are carried out to determine your suitability for the procedure. The tests start with a psychological evaluation followed by blood tests and diagnostic tests to check for health problems. Once the tests are done, you will be placed on the waiting list for kidney recipients. Once the donor is available, you will be asked to get ready for the surgery.

Procedure: The procedure begins with you being administered general anesthesia. An incision is made in the lower part of the stomach, through which the donated kidney is inserted in the body. The next step involves attaching adjacent blood vessels to the kidney so that it has a proper supply of blood. Finally, the ureter of the kidney is linked with the bladder, facilitating normal disposal of bodily wastes. A plastic tube, known as a stent, is placed in the ureter to facilitate urine flow. This is later removed by a procedure called cystoscopy. Once the surgery is completed, the incision is closed by stitches.

Aftercare: After the procedure is completed, you will be given painkillers to ease the pain. Immunosuppressant medications will be prescribed to prevent your immune system from destroying the cells of the donated kidney. Usually, the duration of stay at the hospital post-surgery is about a week.

Your diet will play a very important role in how fast the body recovers from a kidney transplantation surgery. Apart from the medication you take, a healthy, wholesome diet helps with healing, strength and overall health. While the individual diet plans will vary depending on the person, below are common foods you should prefer and avoid to protect your well-earned kidney:

1. Avoid raw and unprocessed food: The anti-rejection medication that you take after the surgery lowers your immunity levels and this means that your chances of infections might be higher during this period. This is why it is important to prevent eating raw meat, eggs, unprocessed milk etc. You should also prevent eating out because of the risk of getting infected.
2. Choose fresh fruits, vegetables, and greens: Fruits, vegetables, and greens are good sources of nutrition, fibre, and minerals. These can be consumed heartily and you can aim at eating 4-5 portion sizes of these every day. Fresh juices are also great to hydrate your body and heal the tissues.
3. Avoid simple sugars: Few medications might result in increased blood sugar levels and this puts extra pressure on your body. You can prevent an abnormal increase in blood sugar levels by preventing over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars. These include rice, pasta, noodles, ice creams, chocolates, molasses and all types of junk/fast food.
4. Choose protein-rich food: Proteins play a great role in healing damaged tissues and strengthening your body. However, too much of proteins can be harmful too. You can, therefore, avoid protein supplements and try getting it from natural sources like lean meat, eggs, soya, and pulses.
5. Stay away from canned/precooked food: Canned/ instant food is always rich in unsaturated fat, sodium, and sugars all three of which are unhealthy for your body. Your doctor might recommend you to limit your sodium intake to prevent water retention in the body. Even when you decide to eat a bowl of soup, skip canned versions and make your own at home.
6. Cut down on alcohol: You might need to skip alcohol completely for the first few months after the surgery. After that, talk to your doctor, get recommended levels and do not cross that. Have a couple of days that are alcohol-free in a week. You should remember that alcohol is very high in calories and sugar.
7. Limit fried food: Excess oil is also bad for your body, especially after a major surgery like this. Choose steamed, air fried and grilled options anytime you can.

If your doctor has prescribed a calorie plan for every day, make sure you stick to it. Fill up your diet chart with healthy, home-cooked meals. Keep checking your weight, sugar levels and blood pressure regularly and pick food that is healthy for your body and mind.

The kidneys are responsible for the elimination of waste from the body. The blood is filtered in the kidneys and all toxic wastes are filtered out and excreted through urine. When this filtration does not happen effectively, a lot of waste can be found in the blood, which affects normal body function.

Kidneys may lose their functioning either due to age, injury, or disease conditions. Whatever the reason, when kidney function is hampered, the body suffers. If there was an injury or congenital problem, it could be unilateral and the non-affected kidney could still do the function. However, if it is infection or old age, normally both kidneys are affected and then replacement should be looked for externally. This is where a kidney transplant comes into the picture.

What is it?

It is a surgery where a healthy, functioning kidney is placed into the body. The donor could be

1. Living: These donors have to be related or unrelated. Related is often termed someone, who is a family member and is willing to donate one kidney (one kidney is sufficient for normal, healthy individuals) to the diseased person.
2. Cadaver: If a person is willing to donate kidneys post death, these are used for transplant, within a specified time.

Identifying the right donor and recipient:

1. Blood type and tissue type should be matched; a good tissue type match improves the chances of success
2. Overall health of the donor to ensure there is no heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes
3. The recipient also should be healthy

What to expect during surgery?

1. Once a donor is identified, in living donors, the surgery to remove the kidney and to transplant it are done simultaneously
2. The surgery usually takes about 3 to 4 hours
3. Antibiotics are given prior to the surgery to prevent infection
4. The blood vessels and ureter are connected back to the kidney after the transplant
5. Hospital stay can range from 5 days to 2 weeks, depending on the overall health of the patient and the anticipated risk of rejection.
6. Most transplanted kidneys work effectively almost immediately. A kidney stored from a cadaver may take a little longer compared to a fresh kidney from a living donor
7. People who have had transplants are put on immunosuppressants on a chronic basis to reduce chances of rejection. The new kidney will always be recognised by the body as a foreign body, and so this is essential.

Kidney transplant success rates are quite high, and more and more people are opting for transplants as opposed to dialysis.
 

Kidney transplant surgery is a surgical procedure where a healthy kidney is used to substitute a diseased one. The healthy kidney is obtained from either a deceased donor or a family member who has a good blood type match with the recipient. Usually, the recipient receives one kidney if the donor is alive and/or both the kidneys from a deceased donor.

Certain reasons for going for a kidney transplant surgery might include:
1. Kidney failure due to diabetes
2. Infections in the urinary tract
3. Autoimmune disorders such as lupus (an autoimmune disorder)
4. Polycystic kidney disorders
5. Obstructions in the kidney
6. Glomerulonephritis, where inflammation occurs in the kidney

Preparation for the surgery
Before the procedure, certain tests are carried out to determine your suitability for the procedure. The tests start with a psychological evaluation followed by blood tests and diagnostic tests to check for health problems. Once the tests are done, you will be placed on the waiting list for kidney recipients. Once the donor is available, you will be asked to get ready for the surgery.

Procedure: The procedure begins with you being administered general anesthesia. An incision is made in the lower part of the stomach, through which the donated kidney is inserted in the body. The next step involves attaching adjacent blood vessels to the kidney so that it has a proper supply of blood. Finally, the ureter of the kidney is linked with the bladder, facilitating normal disposal of bodily wastes. A plastic tube, known as a stent, is placed in the ureter to facilitate urine flow. This is later removed by a procedure called cystoscopy. Once the surgery is completed, the incision is closed by stitches.

Aftercare: After the procedure is completed, you will be given painkillers to ease the pain. Immunosuppressant medications will be prescribed to prevent your immune system from destroying the cells of the donated kidney. Usually, the duration of stay at the hospital post-surgery is about a week.

Kidney transplant surgery is a surgical procedure where a healthy kidney is used to substitute a diseased one. The healthy kidney is obtained from either a deceased donor or a family member who has a good blood type match with the recipient. Usually, the recipient receives one kidney if the donor is alive and/or both the kidneys from a deceased donor.

Certain reasons for going for a kidney transplant surgery might include:
1. Kidney failure due to diabetes
2. Infections in the urinary tract
3. Autoimmune disorders such as lupus (an autoimmune disorder)
4. Polycystic kidney disorders
5. Obstructions in the kidney
6. Glomerulonephritis, where inflammation occurs in the kidney

Preparation for the surgery
Before the procedure, certain tests are carried out to determine your suitability for the procedure. The tests start with a psychological evaluation followed by blood tests and diagnostic tests to check for health problems. Once the tests are done, you will be placed on the waiting list for kidney recipients. Once the donor is available, you will be asked to get ready for the surgery.

Procedure: The procedure begins with you being administered general anesthesia. An incision is made in the lower part of the stomach, through which the donated kidney is inserted in the body. The next step involves attaching adjacent blood vessels to the kidney so that it has a proper supply of blood. Finally, the ureter of the kidney is linked with the bladder, facilitating normal disposal of bodily wastes. A plastic tube, known as a stent, is placed in the ureter to facilitate urine flow. This is later removed by a procedure called cystoscopy. Once the surgery is completed, the incision is closed by stitches.

Aftercare: After the procedure is completed, you will be given painkillers to ease the pain. Immunosuppressant medications will be prescribed to prevent your immune system from destroying the cells of the donated kidney. Usually, the duration of stay at the hospital post-surgery is about a week.