What is a kidney transplant?

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure in which a healthy kidney from a donor is placed into your body to replace your failed kidneys. The new kidney takes over the job of filtering your blood — usually far more effectively than dialysis.

A successful kidney transplant can restore near-normal kidney function, eliminate or reduce the need for dialysis, and significantly improve quality of life and life expectancy. For most people with kidney failure who are healthy enough, transplant is the preferred treatment over long-term dialysis.

Your own kidneys are usually left in place during a transplant — removing them is unnecessary in most cases. The new kidney is placed in your lower abdomen (pelvis) where it connects to nearby blood vessels and the bladder.

Types of kidney donors

Deceased donor (cadaveric)

The kidney comes from someone who has recently died and whose family has consented to organ donation. Most people on the transplant waiting list are waiting for a deceased donor kidney. Wait times vary widely — from months to many years — depending on your blood type, how long you've been waiting, your health, and your location.

Living donor

A kidney from a living person — often a family member or close friend, but sometimes even a stranger who wants to donate. Living donor transplants have significant advantages: shorter wait times, the surgery can be scheduled in advance, and living donor kidneys tend to last longer. You can live a completely normal, healthy life with just one kidney — so donation is safe for most healthy donors.

The evaluation process

Before you can be placed on the transplant waiting list, you'll go through a thorough evaluation at a transplant center. This typically includes:

  • Complete medical history and physical examination
  • Blood and urine tests — including blood type and tissue typing (to match you with compatible donors)
  • Heart evaluation — ECG, stress test, or echocardiogram
  • Imaging of your blood vessels and kidneys
  • Cancer screening — to ensure you're cancer-free before transplant
  • Dental clearance
  • Psychological evaluation and social support assessment

Your nephrologist at Nephrology Specialists, P.C. works closely with transplant centers in the region and can coordinate your referral and evaluation.

After the transplant

The new kidney usually begins working right away — sometimes in the operating room. You'll stay in the hospital for about 3–5 days.

Anti-rejection medications

Your immune system sees the new kidney as foreign and will try to attack it. To prevent this (called rejection), you'll take immunosuppressant medications every day for the rest of your life. These are very effective, but they do lower your immune defenses — which means you'll be more susceptible to infections and need to take some precautions.

Follow-up

The first year after transplant requires frequent blood tests and doctor visits — sometimes weekly at first. Over time, visits become less frequent as the kidney proves stable.

How long does a transplant kidney last?

A living donor kidney lasts an average of 15–20 years. A deceased donor kidney lasts an average of 10–15 years. Some transplants last much longer. If a transplanted kidney eventually fails, another transplant may be possible.

Don't wait until Stage 5: The best time to begin transplant evaluation is in Stage 4 CKD — before you need dialysis. A "pre-emptive" transplant (before starting dialysis) tends to have better outcomes.