Your kidneys are important organs that filter waste components from your blood and flush out from the body through urine. They also maintain the body’s fluid levels. If your kidneys stop functioning by any means, waste material builds up causes various diseases. If your kidneys damaged totally that they can’t work anymore, a kidney transplant is the only option. It is a surgical procedure in which the failed kidneys are replaced with a new one.
Kidneys have a special quality of repairs on their own. In the case of mild kidneys failure, people usually undergo dialysis. It is a procedure of filtering wastage from bloodstream mechanically. People whose kidneys have failed completely require a kidney transplant. The transplantation involves, replacing one or both the kidneys taken from a donor.
When A Kidney Transplant Is Necessary?
Kidney transplant is needed for people suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD), i.e. when the kidneys lost 90% of their functioning ability, a condition of permanent kidney failure. Various diseases can lead to kidney failure.
In India, around 60% chronic kidney disease & ESRD conditions are associated with diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Some of the major conditions that lead to kidney failure and may require kidney transplantation are:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- serious infections like tuberculosis, bone infections, or hepatitis
- Glomerulonephritis
- Cancer
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Urinary tract infections
- Lupus and other immune system disorders
In children, congenital defects of the kidneys also need for kidney transplantation. You need to be healthy to undergo a major surgery like kidney transplantation. After transplantation, you should strictly follow a lifelong medication regimen suggested by your doctor.
Renal Transplant Evaluation
People who smoke, drink alcohol in excess and usees drugs are generally may not suitable for a kidney transplant.
If you are willing to have kidney transplantation and if the doctor thinks you are an ideal candidate for a kidney transplant and your health conditions need to be evaluated by a nephrologist at a transplant centre.
Generally, the evaluation process involves several sessions in which you will be evaluated for physical, psychological, and familial conditions. The evaluation tests include blood and urine test mainly. The doctors estimate your complete physical health to ensure that you are healthy and strong enough to withstand the surgery.
A psychologist and a social worker will also meet with you to make sure you’re able to understand and follow a complicated treatment regimen. The social worker will make sure you can afford the procedure and that you have adequate support after you’re released from the hospital.
Finally, if you are ready for a transplant, you need to find a donor for a kidney that matches you. Usually, most people can survive even with one kidney. Either your family member or a living donor can donate a kidney or you will be put on a waiting list with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) or under various organ transplant foundations. As soon as a matching kidney is found, you will be operated.
Kidney Transplant Or Dialysis - Which Is Better?
Initially, patients will be suggested dialysis, the procedure that performs the functions of kidneys artificially, until a donor is kidney is found. However, patients who undergo kidney transplant typically live 10 to 15 years longer than if they stayed on dialysis.
For any information on kidney transplantation or having any health issues related to kidneys, consult Dr. Sujeeth, one of the best kidney transplant surgeon in Hyderabad.