Kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that removes one healthy kidney from one person and places it in another person that suffers from kidney disease or failure, which will perform the duties that your two failed kidneys cannot do.

• Living donors (donates kidney)—While the patient is unconscious and pain-free (general anesthesia), an incision is made in the side of the abdomen (flank). The kidney is removed and the incision is closed.
• Kidney recipient (receives kidney)—While the patient is unconscious and pain-free (general anesthesia), an incision is made in the lower abdomen. The new kidney is stitched into place within the pelvis and the incision is closed.

The kidney is placed inside the patient’s body between the upper thigh and abdomen. The surgeon connects the artery and vein of the new kidney to the patient’s artery and vein. The new kidney may start working right away or take a few weeks to create urine.

The kidney transplant surgery can take anywhere from three to six hours with the average hospital stay lasting from five to seven days. After leaving the hospital, you will require regular follow-up visits. If a relative or close friend gives you a kidney, they probably will stay in the hospital for less than a week, providing there are no complications.

Types of Donors

• Living-Related Donor—A live family member that donates a kidney.
• Cadaver Donor—A donor that recently has died but not suffered from kidney disease or injury.
• Living-Unrelated Donor—This is a spouse or friend that donates a kidney.

A donor’s blood and tissues must closely match yours to help prevent your body’s immune system from rejecting the new kidney. Tests on blood cells will be conducted to find out if your body will accept the new kidney.

The time it takes to get a kidney varies. You must be placed on a waiting list to receive a cadaver donor kidney. However, if a relative gives you a kidney, the transplant operation can be done sooner.