The Kidney Transplant Process: From Evaluation to Recovery

Kidney issues are too common in India now. According to the Ministry of Health & Public Welfare of India around 1.8 lakh persons suffer from renal failure every year, however, the number of renal transplants done is around 6000 only. This lower number of transplants happens due to various reasons such as a lower amount of awareness, fear of the recipients, lower amount of donors etc. It is high time to increase the awareness. So, we are here to inform you about the kidney transplant process. Let’s proceed with the blog & if you are feeling a minor nephrological issue connect with Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital because they are the best nephrology hospital in Siliguri.

 

1. What is a kidney transplant?

A kidney transplant is nothing but surgery to replace the non-functioning kidney with a healthy, functioning kidney.
Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located on each side of the spine just below the rib cage. Each of these kidneys is about the size of a fist. The main function of a kidney is to filter & remove waste products from our body. When a kidney loses its flexibility and fails to filter the waste products the harmful levels of fluid and waste accumulate in the body and start causing many health issues and then the doctor suggests transplanting them with a healthy one.

1.1. The common reasons for a kidney failure:

There are many diseases which lead to kidney failure and the diseases are-

● Diabetes
● Chronic, uncontrolled high blood pressure
● Chronic glomerulonephritis — an inflammation and eventual scarring of the tiny filters within the kidneys
● Polycystic kidney disease

2. What are the symptoms of an unhealthy kidney?

Early detection is the key to early cure. So, it is important for you to recognise the symptoms first. The symptoms of an unhealthy kidney or damaged kidney are-

● Nausea
● Vomiting
● Loss of appetite
● Fatigue and weakness
● Sleep problems
● Urinating more or less
● Decreased mental sharpness
● Muscle cramps
● Swelling of feet and ankles
● Dry, itchy skin
● High blood pressure (hypertension)
● Shortness of breath due to fluid builds up in the lungs
● Chest pain due to fluid builds up around the lining of the heart

3. How to find a suitable donor?

Let us be very honest, replacing an organ is a big thing and one of the most crucial parts is to get a donor. There are many difficulties in finding a suitable donor. However, we are here to inform you everything about it.
The most suitable donor can be from the patient’s family. For example, a spouse, husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents, grandparents etc. can be a donor.
If the patient’s family brings an outsider for this purpose then they need permission of an Authorization Committee established by the state to donate his kidney. (Authorization Committee (AC). It is a government organisation which regulates kidney donor cases to ensure zero involvement in any kind of organ trafficking or human trafficking.

After this, it is important to conduct some tests to ensure a safe transplant. The tests are-

a. Before the transplant, it is important to have a blood group test. The donor’s blood group needs to be compatible with the patient. After that, the tissue test or HLA (human leukocyte antigen) is done to ensure that the patient’s tissues are the same or similar to the donor.
b. Having a general infection test is also done to ensure that the donor does not have infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C etc.
c. An antibody test is also important. If there is a presence of antibodies then the transplant gets more complicated. These antibodies form in the body if there is a previous blood transfusion, pregnancy or transplant.
d. Doctors also conduct a heart test on the donor. Heart tracing (electrocardiogram), Heart scan (echocardiogram), Stress test (exercise ECG or myocardial perfusion scan) etc. gets done.
e. One lung test gets done which may include A chest X-ray and lung function tests (spirometry).
f. One ultrasound scan is done to check the blood vessels (arteries and veins).

4. How can Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital help you?

Kidney transplant is an extreme situation and if a patient takes the necessary medical support & follow the instruction then most of the time the situation do not get to that level. So, it is important to have a detailed check-up even if you are facing a minor issue. Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital helps you with that. They have experts to handle issues such as Acute & chronic kidney diseases, haemodialysis, glomerulonephritis, renal biopsy, glomerular disease & hemodiafiltration.
Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital has the best nephrologists in Siliguri. Well not only that Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital is the best kidney hospital in Siliguri. Even if the situation becomes adverse, Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital can help you with that too. Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital is the best kidney transplant hospital in Siliguri.

5. What is post-transplant care?

As it is a surgery and one organ is getting changed in the body, so, it is important to take care of your body to get healed faster. The post-transplant care is-

a. Food habit: Eating fresh & healthy food is mandatory after the surgery. Eating junk foods or any kind of food from outside is a big no. although a dietitian from the nursing home will provide a proper diet chart. It is important to follow that strictly and connect with the dietitian if needed.

b. Physical activities: It is important to give your body an adequate amount of rest. The patient must avoid activities such as heavy workouts, wrestling, football, and water contact like swimming.

c. Smoking & drinking habit: Tobacco & alcohol is a big no after the surgery. Smoking increases the chances of malignancies (cancer) and vascular disease (heart attacks and strokes). At the same time, alcohol is also harmful to the body.

d. Regular medication: After the surgery doctor will prescribe some medicines and it is important to have them on time. At the same time, it is important to consult with the doctor before you take any new medicine. Do not opt for the self-medication. Any mistake can be fatal.

Final words: As we have already mentioned we believe in taking precautions before the cure. So, we would suggest having a medical check-up on a regular basis and if after that doctor suggests a kidney transplant; we are always here to take responsibility. Neotia Getwel Multispecialty Hospital is always ready with 24*7 & emergency care to serve the patients.

 

Disclaimer

Though all attempts are made to provide correct information on the subject, inadvertent & typographical errors arising out of manual intervention cannot be ruled out. It is requested to bring any such discrepancies to the notice of the blogger for correction