Page 146 - English For Nursing

Kidney Transplant

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that is done to treat kidney failure. The kidneys filter waste
from the blood and remove it from the body through the urine. They also help maintain the body’s fluid and

electrolyte balance. If the kidneys stop working, waste can build up in the body and it can make the person
with the problem very sick. People whose kidneys stop working usually undergo a treatment called dialysis. It
filters waste that builds up in the bloodstream when the kidneys stop working. Some other people whose
kidneys have failed may qualify for a kidney transplant.
There have been pros and cons on both dialysis and kidney transplants. Dialysis takes time and it is

labor intensive. It often requires making frequent trips to a dialysis center to receive treatment. At the dialysis
center, the blood is cleansed using a dialysis machine. Some patients might need to have the dialysis treatment
at home. Therefore, they need purchase dialysis supplies and learn how to use them. Meanwhile, a kidney
transplant can free the patient from a long-term dependence on a dialysis machine and the strict schedule. The
patient is allowed to live a more active life. However, kidney transplants are not suitable for everyone. This
includes people with active infections and those who are severely overweight.
A kidney transplant may be an option if the kidneys have stopped working entirely. The condition is

known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). If someone reaches this point,
the doctor might require them to have dialysis treatment. In addition, the doctor might also tell the patient if
they think that the patient is a good candidate for kidney transplant. One needs to be healthy enough to have
major surgery and tolerate a strict, lifelong medication regimen after surgery to be a good candidate for a
transplant. They should also be willing to follow all instructions from the doctor and take the medications

regularly.
The procedure of kidney transplant involves the removal or replacement of one or both kidneys with
donor kidney from a live or deceased person. Before the transplant, the patient needs to give a sample of blood
for the antibody test. The patient will be accepted for surgery if the result is negative cross-match. The
transplant is done under general anesthesia. Once asleep, the doctor makes an incision in the abdomen, takes a
donated kidney, and places it in the donor recipient’s body. The doctor then connects the arteries and veins
from the kidney to the patient’s arteries and veins. Therefore, the blood will start flowing through the new

kidney. After the transplant, the patient has to take immune-suppressing medications to keep the immune
system from attacking the new organ.
As kidney transplant is major surgery, it carries several risks. The most serious risk of such transplant is
that the recipient body rejects the kidney. The other risks include bleeding, blood clots, ureter leakage or
blockage, infection, donated kidney failure, heart attack, and even stroke. To prevent such risks, the donor

recipients are expected to keep regular appointment with the transplant team to evaluate how well the new

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