Kidney Transplantation

Overview

• A treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
• Decision involves patient, family, and physician.
• Requires careful consideration to ensure suitability.

Procedure

• Kidney Transplantation: Involves placing a healthy kidney into the patient's body to perform functions of failing kidneys.
  • Diseased kidneys usually remain in place.
  • New kidney positioned in the pelvic area, connected to blood vessels and bladder.

Kidney Donors

• Living Donors: Can be non-relatives such as spouses, co-workers, friends.
  • Potential donors are tested for health and safety.
• Deceased Donors: From individuals who have expressed desire to be organ donors and have family consent.
  • All donors are screened to prevent transmissible diseases.

Transplant Team Care

• Procedure managed by Cleveland Clinic transplant team.
• Includes nephrologists, transplant coordinators, urologic surgeons, living kidney donor advocates, social workers, and financial coordinators.
• Nephrologists: Specialists in kidney disease, care for pre and post-transplant patients.

Benefits of Kidney Transplant

• More strength, stamina, and energy compared to dialysis.
• Ability to return to a normal lifestyle.
• Longer lifespan compared to dialysis patients.

Risks and Medications

• Similar surgical risks: bleeding, infection, wound complications.
• Anti-rejection medications have unique side effects, increasing infection susceptibility.
• Rejection is treatable in majority of cases.

Outcomes

• If unsuccessful, patients can return to dialysis or undergo another transplant.
• Improved success rates due to advancements in medicine and research.

Summary

• Kidney transplantation is highly successful and preferred for patients with kidney failure.