Conventional kidney transplantation procedure

Patients who develop advanced renal failure will require renal replacement therapy, i.e. dialysis, either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. In a significant proportion of these patients, renal transplantation may be considered as an alternative to dialysis, a conventional surgical procedure.

Histocompatibility studies mainly determine the antigenic identities, which help to identify the most suitable recipient. In addition, a complex clinical evaluation makes it possible to select the best candidate. If the graft comes from a living donor, the potential donor undergoes a complete analytical and imaging examination. This rules out a series of pathologies of a neoplastic, infectious and degenerative nature, among others, which ensure the viability of the donor after the mutilation involved in the donation.

How is renal transplantation performed?

The process of renal transplantation is a conventional surgical procedure and consists of performing vascular anastomoses (“splices”), venous and arterial, to achieve the refunctionalization of the renal graft, and finally the urinary one, for the conduction of urine to the bladder. Renal transplantation requires hospitalization. Firstly, in an isolation unit for the first three days, and then in a conventional unit for 8-10 days if there are no incidences.

The need to be treated with immunosuppressive medication is the most peculiar characteristic of the transplanted patient. The patient should take measures to avoid infectious episodes, and will be subjected to routine controls, mainly analytical, to assess the functional evolution of the kidney and drug levels. Dietary aspects and blood pressure control are equally important. But basically, the transplanted patient is able to incorporate to a normal activity, including in many cases the work aspects.