Urologist
Renal transplant specialist
Specialists:
A doctor with advanced training in an area of medicine (e.g., heart, kidney or liver specialists). This doctor will supervise your care before and after your transplant.
A kidney transplant is the surgical placement of a donor’s kidney to take over the work of damaged or diseased kidneys. It is a treatment for end-stage kidney disease and other severe kidney conditions. Kidney transplantation is a life-saving surgery used when all other medical and surgical options have failed.
A kidney transplant is major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options. Consider getting a second opinion about all your treatment choices before having a kidney transplant.
When do you need to see them?
Your doctor may recommend a kidney transplant to treat end-stage kidney (renal) disease (ESRD). In ESRD, your kidneys are no longer capable of filtering waste products and fluid out of the blood. As a result, waste products and fluids build up in the body. ESRD is fatal without hemodialysis (artificial filtering of your blood) or kidney transplantation.
Causes of ESRD include:
- Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus
- Diabetes
- Hereditary kidney diseases
- High blood pressure
- Infections
- Kidney tumours
- Trauma
Your doctor will only consider a kidney transplant for you if other medical and surgical treatment options have failed. Ask your doctor about all of your treatment options and consider getting a second opinion before deciding on a kidney transplant.
What do they do?
Your kidney transplant will be performed in a hospital. Kidney transplant surgery takes from three to four hours. It is an open surgery that involves making an incision in the lower abdomen. The incision runs from the pubic bone to the hipbone. Open surgery allows your doctor to directly view and access the surgical area.
Your surgeon will place the donor kidney through this incision and attach the kidney’s ureter (the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) to your bladder. Your surgeon will also establish a blood supply to your new kidney. In most cases, your own kidneys will remain in place. However, sometimes your surgeon will remove them to improve your health.
Your surgeon will advise you on which procedure is best for you and how long you need to stay in the hospital based on your diagnosis, age, medical history, general health, and possibly your personal preference. Learn about the different types of kidney transplants and ask why your surgeon will use a particular surgery for you.
Physician consultation is a good opportunity and you should be prepared for it.
- Carry all necessary medical records for the discussion. It helps in better understanding your heart condition and avoids repetition of diagnostic tests.
- Make sure you discuss your past medical history, surgical history, family history, and medications that you are taking.
- Discuss about your lifestyle habits, dietary habits and also about your profession. Your lifestyle and nature of job may be associated with the risk for cardiac diseases.