What
is kidney transplantation?
Kidney
transplantation is a surgery in which a healthy kidney from a donor is placed
in a recipient. The new kidney takes up the job of the recipient’s diseased
kidney in a short while of time.
Who
needs kidney transplantation?
Normally,
kidneys filter and purify the blood. In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys
start losing their capacity to filter the blood and gradually almost all the
functional capacity is lost. Proper functioning of the body requires substituting
the kidney function either by dialysis or transplantation.
Types
of kidney transplantation
A
recipient can get the kidney from a living individual or a deceased person. The
donor can be in blood relation to the recipient. Transplantation is classified
as the following:
· Live donor kidney transplantation
· Deceased donor kidney transplantation
· Related or unrelated
A kidney from a living
donor is usually preferred, as there are chances that it is healthy and will
last longer.
When
is the time to go for kidney transplantation?
As
the kidney function starts deteriorating, your nephrologist will tell you about
the transplantation. You will need to undergo various tests that will evaluate
your eligibility for kidney transplantation. The decision depends upon the test
results, availability of the graft and your take on the same after knowing the
pros and cons.
What
happens when the decision is taken to undergo transplantation?
Once
you decide to undergo transplantation, your nephrologist will send you to the
transplant centres. If you already have a donor it becomes easy. Otherwise, you
will have to wait till you get a suitable donor. And while you wait, you have
to undergo dialysis.
Is
transplantation a permanent solution?
Each treatment modality for chronic kidney disease has its own pros and cons. Though a costly affair, transplantation has
its own benefits over dialysis. It certainly reduces the repeated hospital
visits for dialysis. Studies have also shown that a successful kidney
transplant provides a better quality of life because it reduces the
restrictions related to dialysis. Post transplantation, the patient receives
immuno suppressive medication that he or she usually has to take lifelong. These
medications prevent the reaction by patients’ immune system to the foreign
organ placed in his or her body. These medications are associated with various side
effects that are easily manageable. 