Kidney transplantation

From ArticleWorld

Kidney transplant is a kind of organ transplant that involves replacing a failing or affected kidney with a healthy, functional one. In certain cases of diabetes, the kidney has to be transplanted together with the pancreas. In order for the donor and the receiver to qualify, they must be ABO blood group compatible and share a great number of HLA and minor antigens, in order to avoid rejection.

Kidney transplant was the first successful organ transplant, in 1954. The operation itself is simple compared to other organ transplant operations, and, in case of rejection, dialysis exists as a backup option. The first receiver died eight years after the operation, but there have been many advances since.

Procedure

The procedure itself is quite simple. After the kidney is put into place, blood vessels are reconnected. The major difficulty is integrating the kidney into the receiver's excretory system, but this is less complicated than the requirements of other transplant procedures. Post-operatory treatment with immunosupressant drugs is compulsory.

Risks

The risks associated with a kidney transplant involve not just the usual rejection risk, but also a number of medical conditions, including:

• Lymphoproliferative disorder, an uncontrolled proliferation of B cell lymphocytes, occuring because of the immunosuppressant drugs.

• Imparity in electrolytes, including Ca and P, leading to bone problems of different severities

• Several other medical condition that occur because of the medication, including gastrointestinal inflamation, hair loss, obesity etc.