About Kidney Transplant

Kidneys are placed on either side of the spine behind the abdominal organs, below the rib cage. Most people are born with two kidneys. Kidneys produce urine, which is then carried to the bladder by the way of ureters. Once the body senses that the bladder is full, the urine is excreted from the bladder through the urethra. The kidneys perform various major functions to maintain a health body:

  • Filtration of the blood to remove waste products from the body. The kidney transfers waste inside, from the body as urine and returns water and chemicals back to the body.
  • Regulation of the blood pressure by releasing several hormones
  • Stimulation of production of the red blood cells by releasing the hormone erythropoietin.

Kidney transplant can be done by two ways:

Living Donor Transplantation–this can be a family member, including sisters, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins or a close friend whom wish to donate a kidney. The donor must be in a good health condition and sign a consent form.

Deceased Donor – deceased donor is taken from a person who has suffered brain death. After permission for donation is granted the kidneys are removed and stored until a recipient has been selected.

Before Kidney Transplantation

  • The patient will undergo various tests depending on their age, gender, cause of disease and medical conditions including:
  1. General health maintenance
  2. Cardiovascular evaluation
  3. Pulmonary evaluation
  • Patients and the donor will need to attend a committee to be approved for the transplant
  • Patients must prove to the committee that the donor is related within the 4th generation

Suitable Patients for Kidney Transplantation

  • The recipient of the transplant is at a good health condition and despite their associated condition
  • The associated condition is not responding to other types of treatment
  • There is a high risk of the condition re occurring without a transplant

Kidney Transplantation Procedure

The surgery is performed using general anesthesia, so the patient is put to sleep while having the surgery. The procedure takes around 2-4 hours. Kidney transplant is a heterotopic transplant, which means that the kidneys are placed in a different location than the existing kidneys (Liver and Heart transplants are orthotropic transplants which mean the diseased organ is removed and the transplanted organ is placed into the same place). The kidney transplant is placed into the anterior part of the lower abdomen in the pelvis. Unless the original kidneys are causing severe problems they will not be removed. The artery that carries blood to the kidney and the vein that carries blood away is surgically connected to the artery and vein already existing in the pelvis of the patient. The ureter or the tube carrying urine from the kidney is connected to the bladder. The patient will need to stay in hospital for around a week after the transplant surgery.

After Kidney Transplantation

  • Patients can be required to stay for a week or two in the hospital unit before being dismissed.
  • Patients will undergo intensive physical and mental rehabilitation
  • Patients will be under observation for signs of organ rejection including – high fever, pain, jaundice, fluid retention, medication side effects and elevated kidney tests.
  • Patients will need to attend check-ups once dismissed from the hospital once a week.
  • The wound must be kept clean using antiseptic soap
  • Dental and oral hygiene is very important, after each meal teeth must be brushed and gargled with antiseptic mouthwash.
  • Body hygiene must be kept at a high standard

Risks of Kidney Transplantation

There is a risk of complications to occur after kidney transplant even though they can be very rare such as:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Wound healing problems
  • Difficulty in blood circulation to the kidney
  • Problems with the flow of urine from the kidney
  • Rejection

First day of Kidney Transplant

The patients will attend a consultation with the doctor and will be advised about the procedure and their condition. Patients and the donor will need to undergo a couple of tests which are required to ensure that the patient and donor is at a suitable health condition for a transplant. Once all tests are done and the results are suitable for the transplant process, the patient will be placed in a private room until the transplant day.

Second day of Kidney Transplant

Last tests will be done and if everything is suitable the transplant will be performed, using general anesthesia. The transplant will take around 2-4 hours to perform, depending on the extent of the surgery the duration can expand. Once the surgery is over, the patient will be taken to a private room where they will be staying in hospital for resting. This can last for a few weeks until the transplant is adapted to the patient’s body. The donor will need to stay in hospital for a few days to make sure they are feeling well and healthy before dismissed if live donor is used.

Third – Fifteenth day of Kidney Transplant

Patients will be resting in their rooms, with the doctors and nurses checking up on them regularly.

Sixteenth day of Kidney Transplant

Patients will be resting in their room and the doctor will perform a checkup and may perform a few tests and if they are approved to be in a good, healthy condition and the surgery results are all successful; the patients are advised with post treatment care requirements and are ready to be discharged from hospital to their settlements. The patient will be advised on their medication and their dressing routine. Once discharged from hospital the patient must rest and attend checkups arranged by the doctor.

Second Month of Kidney Transplantation

The patient will be advised on further medication, a few little tests may be performed and if everything is right, then the patient is ready to return to their destination.

Notes

• Trip schedule may vary. medicTurkey patient relations will provide you a detailed trip schedule before the travel.

• For details on accommodation, transportation and other services, please check the SERVICES page.

What is Kidney Transplantation?

Kidneys are placed on either side of the spine behind the abdominal organs, below the rib cage. Most people are born with two kidneys. Kidneys produce urine, which is then carried to the bladder by the way of ureters. Once the body senses that the bladder is full, the urine is excreted from the bladder through the urethra. The kidneys perform various major functions to maintain a healthy body:

  • Filtration of the blood to remove waste products from the body. The kidney transfers waste inside, from the body as urine and returns water and chemicals back to the body.
  • Regulation of the blood pressure by releasing several hormones
  • Stimulation of production of the red blood cells by releasing the hormone erythropoietin.
  • Kidney transplant can be done by two ways:
  • Living Donor Transplantation – this can be a family member, including sisters, parents, uncles, aunts, cousins or a close friend whom wish to donate a kidney. The donor must be in a good health condition and sign a consent form.
  • Deceased Donor – deceased donor is taken from a person who has suffered brain death. After permission for donation is granted the kidneys are removed and stored until a recipient has been selected.

How is Kidney Transplantation done?

The surgery is performed using general anesthesia, so the patient is put to sleep while having the surgery. The procedure takes around 2-4 hours. Kidney transplant is a heterotopic transplant, which means that the kidneys are placed in a different location than the existing kidneys (Liver and Heart transplants are orthotropic transplants which mean the diseased organ is removed and the transplanted organ is placed into the same place). The kidney transplant is placed into the anterior part of the lower abdomen in the pelvis. Unless the original kidneys are causing severe problems they will not be removed. The artery that carries blood to the kidney and the vein that carries blood away is surgically connected to the artery and vein already existing in the pelvis of the patient. The ureter or the tube carrying urine from the kidney is connected to the bladder. The patient will need to stay in hospital for around a week after the transplant surgery.

How long does Kidney Transplantation take?

Kidney transplantation takes around 2-4 hours to perform. The duration of the surgery can sometimes extend depending on the extent of surgery.

Do I need to stay at hospital?

Patients will need to stay in hospital for around a week after the transplantation.

Who can have Kidney Transplantation?

  • The recipient of the transplant is at a good health condition and despite their associated condition
  • The associated condition is not responding to other types of treatment
  • There is a high risk of the condition re occurring without a transplant

When can I return to work?

Patients can return to work a few weeks after the transplantation process.

Are there any risks of Kidney Transplantation?

It is pretty usual for complications to occur after transplant during the first couple of weeks after the operation like

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Wound healing problems
  • Difficulty in blood circulation to the kidney
  • Problems with the flow of urine from the kidney
  • Rejection

Devices used in Kidney Transplantation

There are no special devices used in Kidney Transplantation.

Operation Price Stay in hospital Stay in Turkey
Kidney Transplantation Please fill in
a form to learn
about the pricing.		 7 Days
(the duration can
change depending on
the treatment performed)		 3 Weeks