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Kidney transplantation is a lifesaving treatment for individuals whose kidneys do not function. Approx. 11,000 kidneys are transplanted annually in the United States. About 90% of kidneys received from living donors are functioning well for a year after transplantation. After one year, each year that follows, 3 to 5% of these kidneys result in failure. The result is almost always good with kidney transplanted from someone who just died. About 85-90% of these kidney transplants function after one year and 5 to 8% of those kidneys fail during each year that follows sometimes, transplanted kidney functions for more than thirty years. Transplantation is a major surgery because the donated should be attached to the patient’s urinary tract and blood vessels. More than 2/3rd of all transplanted kidneys are transplanted after the donors passed away (generally, healthy individuals who also passed away in an accident). The kidney is removed, cooled, and transplanted promptly to a transplantation medical center to a recipient with a compatible type of tissue and whose serum in blood does not consist of antibodies to the tissues. Despite attacking medications to suppress the patient’s immune system, 1 or more rejection incidences usually happen shortly after transplant operation. Rejection can result in weight gain from retention of fluid, and swelling and tenderness, over the region, where the kidney is implanted. Blood tests may show deteriorating function of the kidney. If the surgeon is not sure whether rejection takes place, he or she may obtain a biopsy (remove kidney’s tissue on a microscope). Rejection may commonly be reversed by increasing immunosuppressant drugs number or dosage. If such rejection may not be reversed, the transplantation fails. The rejected kidney can be left in place until the fever persists, the region over the transplant remains tender, blood appears in the patient’s urine, or blood pressure remains high. If transplantation fails, dialysis should be begun again. A 2nd transplantation attempt with another kidney may frequently be performed after a patient has recovered from the 1st; the success chance is almost always good; as for 1st transplant. Most episodes of rejection and other complications happen with three to four transplantation months. Then the recipient continues to use immunosuppressant medications, because discontinuing them allows the body to reject the new kidneys. Rejection takes place over many months or weeks, is rare. If it happens, the recipient’s blood pressure can become higher, function of kidney deteriorates, and the transplant gradually fails. The cancer episode occurs in kidney transplant is ten to fifteen times higher than in the general population. Developing risk of lymphoma is about 30 times higher than normal, possibly because the patient’s immune system is suppressed.
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