Kidney transplantation is the most common surgical organ transplant surgery. It is performed with a severe degree of chronic renal failure, which can be the result of such diseases as chronic glomerulonephritis , chronic pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, etc. Also kidney transplantation may be required in diabetes mellitus when the complications of this disease destroy the kidneys.
To save life, such patients are on substitutive renal therapy, which includes chronic and peritoneal hemodialysis. But in comparison with these options, kidney transplantation has the best results in terms of longevity.
Operation of kidney transplantation
The kidney can be transplanted from the next of kin (related kidney transplantation), i.e. donors can become parents, brother, sister or children of a sick person. In addition, transplantation is possible from any other person (including the deceased), provided that the blood groups and genetic material are compatible. Another important condition for possible donation is the absence of certain diseases (HIV, hepatitis, heart failure, etc.). The procedure for organ transplantation is regulated by law.
Kidney transplantation is carried out in two stages:
- Donor stage. At this stage, the selection of the donor, his examination and compatibility tests. To extract the kidney to a living donor, a laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (kidney removal) or an open donor nephrectomy is performed. The postoperative donor performs an operation of exploring the kidney transplant. Further, the transplantable kidney is washed with special solutions and canned in a special medium that allows to preserve the viability of the organ. The period of storage of the graft depends on the type of preservative solution - from 24 to 36 hours.
- Recipient period. The donor kidney is usually transplanted into the ileum. Further, the organ is connected with the ureter and vessels, the sutures are superimposed on the wound. During the operation, the patient's native kidney is not removed.
Consequences (complications) of kidney transplantation:
- kidney rejection;
- thrombosis of the artery of the kidney;
- bleeding;
- venous thrombosis;
- fistulas;
- urological complications;
- wound infection, etc.
Life after a kidney transplant
Life expectancy after kidney transplantation is individual in each case and depends on a variety of factors (the presence of concomitant diseases, the state of immunity, etc.). The kidney begins to function fully after a few days after the operation. The phenomena of renal failure disappear after a few weeks, in connection with which in the post-operation period, several sessions of hemodialysis are carried out.
To prevent organ rejection (immune cells perceive it as a foreign agent), the patient needs to take immunosuppressants for a while.
Despite this, kidney transplantation significantly facilitates life and improves its quality, which is noted by all patients who underwent surgery. It is also worth noting that after kidney transplantation pregnancy is possible, however, more careful observation by a gynecologist, nephrologist, frequent analysis.