1. This process is very
beneficial if you need
it. If your kidney has
failed on you, or dis-
eased on you, this
process is for you. Very ex-
perienced doctors go in and
remove your old kidney, re-
place it with a new donor
kidney, put you on medica-
tions to help it not reject,
and you can go about your
life better and healthier.
This process is also benefi-
cial for diabetics.
Kidney
Transplant
Process
Thingsyoushould
know
Thisprocess
isvery
beneficial
T h i n g s y o u n e e d t o
k n o w a b o u t t h e
p r o c e s s .
(919)-390-9627
cameronellis@rocketmail.com
J o h n s t o n C o u n t y
S c h o o l s h t t p : / /
w w w . e l s e v i e r . c o m / a b o u t /
p r e s s - r e l e a s e s / r e s e a r c h - a n d -
j o u r n a l s / n e w - t o o l s - c a n - b e t t e r
- p r e d i c t - s u c c e s s f u l - k i d n e y -
t r a n s p l a n t - o u t c o m e s
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org?health/test_proc
dure/urology/kidney_transplantation_procedure92,
http://new-england-journal-of-
medicine.process.of.kidneys.com
http://transplant.surgery.uscf.edu/conditions--
procedures/living-donor-kidney-
transplantation.aspx

2. Kidney Transplant Process
For someone considering a kidney trans-
plant, it is important to understand all steps
of the process. A kidney transplant is a surgi-
cal procedure performed to replace a dis-
eased kidney with a healthy kidney from an-
other person. The body takes nutrients from
food and converts them to energy. After the
body has taken the food that it needs, waste
products are left behind in the bowel and in
the blood. The reasons for this procedure
would be repeated urinary infections, kidney
failure caused by diabetes or high blood
pressure, polycystic kidney disease or other
inherited disorders, such as glomerulonephri-
tis, which is inflammation of the kidney’s
filtering unit. The risks of the procedure con-
sist of: bleeding, infection, blockage of the
blood vessels to the new kidney, leakage of
urine or blockage of urine in the ureter. In
order to receive a kidney from an organ do-
nor who has died (cadaver), a recipient must
be placed on a waiting list of the United Net-
work for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
Some tools used in the procedure
Doctors use scalpels, scissors, swabs, body
glue, and internal stiches.
Signs of Kidney Rejection
It is vital for the patient to be aware of the possi-
ble signs of kidney rejection- fever over 100 de-
grees; “Flu-like” symptoms, such as chills, aches,
headache, dizziness, nausea and /or vomiting;
new pain or tenderness around the kidney; sud-
den weight gain greater than two to four pounds
within a twenty four -hour period, and significant
decrease in urine output.
Things to do if Kidney Rejection starts
to occur:
If rejection develops, the patient’s physi-
cian will prescribe medications to treat re-
jection and prevent continued complica-
tions. In order to control the rejection, the
patient may need to be admitted to the
hospital, or the patient may receive care in
an outpatient setting. The medications used
to treat a kidney rejection episode are
strong drugs. The first few doses could
cause the following side effects: fever,
chills, headaches, nausea, vomiting, weak-
ness, diarrhea, and general flu-like symp-
toms.
Interesting facts of this procedure
Potential barriers to living donors are age (one must
be eighteen years old unless the person are an emanci-
pated minor), uncontrollable hypertension, history of
pulmonary embolism or recurrent thrombosis, bleed-
ing disorders, uncontrollable psychiatric illness, mor-
bid obesity, uncontrollable cardiovascular disease, or
HIV infection.
After surgery, the patient will be transferred to the
recovery room. Once the anesthesia has worn off, the
patient will be transferred back to the transplant unit.
The amount of time a patient is in the hospital after
kidney transplant surgery varies. It can be as little as
two days, barring complications. The kidney function
will be closely monitored for the first several months
after you leave the hospital.
Caption describing picture or graphic.