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Kidney Operation: A General Guide To The Surgical Process

A kidney transplant can look like an awful procedure to have to undergo. However, it also offers renewed optimism for living an ordinary life. Kidney transplant surgery is a procedure used to treat severala number of illnesses that involves removing all or part of your enlarged kidneys. Usually, a urologist or urologic surgeon performs the kidney replacement procedure.

Conditions include kidney cancer, chronic kidney disease, kidney stone removal, kidney infection, renal hypertension, traumatic kidney injury, and kidney donation all require kidney surgery as a treatment.

Your urologist may do laparoscopic or open surgery to remove your enlarged kidney. Laparoscopic surgery requires fewer incisions and heals more quickly. Following a nephrectomy, recovery can be excruciatingly painful and take many weeks

To understand why a kidney transplant is performed, it is essential to understand how the kidneys function. Your kidneys are the organs that : 

• Filter waste, excess fluid, and electrolytes from your blood
• Produce urine
• Maintain a proper level of minerals in your bloodstream
• Produce hormones that help regulate your blood pressure 

The most common reason why a kidney transplant is performed is to remove a tumour from the swollen kidney. These tumours are usually cancerous.

Conditions that require a kidney transplant are : 

• Kidney Cancer: 

Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is caused when kidney cells become cancerous or deadly, and grow out of control, causing a tumour and swelling. Surgery is sometimes the only option for patients suffering from kidney cancer. Kidney cancer patients have very little probability of survival if surgery is not performed. Even those whose cancer has spread to other organs may benefit from surgery to remove the kidney tumour. Many times, patients can survive longer if the cancerous kidney that is enlarged is removed. Even in situations where the cancer may have progressed to regions other than the kidney, a physician might advise surgery in these kinds of situations. 

• Chronic Kidney Diseases: 

Chronic kidney disease is caused by a number of illnesses that harm your kidneys and impair their capacity to remove toxins from your body. Your body’s waste products may accumulate dangerously high amounts in your blood and cause nausea if renal disease worsens. 

• Kidney Stone Removal: 

A kidney stone is a hard substance formed by uric acid and calcium salts and minerals in the urine. Numerous wastes are dissolved in urine. Crystals arise when there is too much waste in a small amount of fluid. These kidney crystals function like magnets, drawing in additional substances and joining forces to form a solid mass that usually grows until it is eliminated from the body through urine. The body’s chief regulator, the kidney, normally directs these substances to exit the body through the urine. Following development, the hard mass may stay in the kidney or travel directly into the ureter along the urinary tract. 

• Kidney Infection: 

The urinary tract, which makes and eliminates urine from your body, includes your kidneys. The bladder, urethra, ureters, and kidneys make up the urinary tract.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be brought on by any of these components coming into contact with bacteria. The bladder becomes infected most frequently. This is unquestionably indicative of a kidney infection, which needs to be treated right away. 

• Kidney Injury:

When an external force injures a kidney, it is known as renal trauma or kidney injury. The rib cage and the back muscles guard the kidneys. However, injuries may occur as a result of:

• Blunt trauma is a dangerous ailment that can result from an object hitting you without breaking the skin.
• A harmful ailment known as penetrating trauma can be brought on by an instrument puncturing the skin and then entering the body.

• Consult Your Physician:

Consult your doctor to find out if you qualify for a transplant as the first step. Your dialysis team will also be involved if you are receiving dialysis. Your doctor will recommend you to a transplant centre if you and your healthcare provider agree that you would benefit from a kidney transplant.

• Go To A Transplant Clinic To Get Tested: 

You will meet members of your transplant team at the transplant clinic. To ensure that you are a suitable candidate for a transplant, you will undergo testing to ensure you are healthy enough for surgery that will involve blood work and examinations of your heart and other organs. A transplant’s chance of success may be decreased by certain diseases or circumstances, such as active substance misuse or cancer that is not in remission.

Tests to assess your emotional and mental well-being will also be administered. Your readiness to care for a transplanted kidney must be confirmed by the transplant team. It will be necessary for you to comprehend and adhere to a post-operative medication schedule.

The transplant team uses an approach known as cross-matching to compare the donor’s blood to your own to determine whether or not your immune system will accept the new kidney. A kidney from a family has a higher chance of matching your tissue type than a kidney from an unrelated donor.

A medical examination is required to ensure that a friend or family member is healthy enough to donate a kidney, even if they are a good match. You can schedule your kidney transplant surgery at a time that works best for you, your donor, and your surgeon if you have a living donor. You are not required to wait for a kidney from a waiting list.

• Place Yourself On The Waiting List: 

Your transplant centre will put your name on the waiting list if your testing shows that you are eligible for a transplant. There are several months to years of waiting. The majority of transplant centres give priority to those who have been waiting the longest. Your wait time may vary depending on several other criteria, including your blood type, age, and place of residence.

If your kidney function is 20 or lower, a transplant centre might put you on a waiting list for a donor’s kidney even if you are not receiving dialysis. While you wait for a kidney transplant, you may need to start dialysis.

• Have Monthly Blood Tests:

As you wait for a kidney transplant, you’ll have to go for monthly blood sampling. The centre will need a fresh blood sample every time a kidney donor is available to conduct a blood match.

• Get A Kidney Transplant: 

A healthy kidney is inserted into your body by a surgeon during kidney transplant surgery. Before the procedure, you will be put under general anaesthesia. An average procedure takes three to four hours. Your damaged kidneys can remain in your body until they lead to infections, hypertension, or cancer. A kidney is often transplanted by surgeons into the lower abdomen, close to the groyne.

You have to visit the hospital for your transplant procedure as soon as you find out if a kidney is available or if you’re on the waiting list for a donor’s kidney.

If a friend or a family member agrees to donate a kidney, the date for the surgery will be set in advance. This is because, unlike the case of a deceased donor kidney, a living donor kidney does not have to be transported and, as a result, may be in a better condition for use. That is, the same set of surgeons will operate on you and the donor simultaneously, often in adjacent rooms. The first surgeon will remove the donor kidney, while the second surgeon will prepare the patient to receive the donor kidney.

Doctors who perform kidney surgeries are referred to as. A nephrologist is a person who deals in extensive care of your kidneys. The kidney being a part of your urine system needs to be taken care of as it plays an integral part in your body’s functioning. A nephrologist diagnoses the conditions affecting your kidney. They help you maintain a good and healthy kidney so that the kidney filters out the waste substances from your body.

The cost of kidney operations varies from the hospital to the type of surgery. For a rough estimate, 5 lakhs INR to 15 lakhs INR is the cost of kidney operations. They vary as to what kind of operation is being performed and how complex it is. Get a professional doctor’s advice for a better figure and accurate cooperation details.

A kidney transplant can be stressful not only mentally but physically as well. You may experience some of the following symptoms so it is advised to follow your doctor’s advice accurately.

• Bleeding
• Urine leakage
• Infection 
• Thrombus
• Chest pain
• Weight gain
• Shortness of breath
• Elevated blood pressure
• Blood clots inside the kidney transplant

To sum up, it is evident that while the process of renal transplantation is fraught with challenges, its benefits for patients suffering from kidney ailments cannot be overstated. Their prognosis is significantly improved after the surgery. From analysing the need for surgery to undergoing testing and preparation, every step is crucial in ensuring a successful transplant. For patients suffering from cancer, chronic kidney disease, or other illnesses, the procedure offers hope, regardless of whether the donor is a living person or has passed away. Although it may take time to recuperate, the enduring benefits of having a functioning kidney significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.

Sahyadri Hospital is renowned for its comprehensive approach to kidney transplant surgeries, offering state-of-the-art facilities, highly skilled nephrologists, and a multidisciplinary team dedicated to providing exceptional patient care. With a focus on advanced surgical techniques and personalised treatment plans, Sahyadri ensures a higher success rate for kidney transplants. Their commitment to patient safety, comfort, and recovery is reflected in their excellent post-operative care and support, making it a preferred choice for individuals seeking kidney transplantation.

1. What is the average recovery time after a kidney transplant?
   Recovery typically takes several weeks, with most patients returning to normal activities within three to six months.
2. How long does the kidney transplant surgery take?
   The average kidney transplant surgery lasts about three to four hours.
3. What are the chances of kidney transplant rejection?
   The risk of kidney transplant rejection varies but is generally low with proper post-operative care and medication.

4 Are there specific dietary restrictions after a kidney transplant?
Yes, patients are advised to follow a low-sodium, low-potassium diet and stay hydrated after a kidney transplant.