Surgery
Kidney transplant
If you have
chronic kidney disease that progresses, you may have
the option of a
kidney transplant. Most experts agree that it is the
best option for people with
. In general, people who have kidney
transplants live longer than people treated with dialysis.
You will probably be considered a good candidate if
you don't have significant heart, lung, or liver disease or other diseases, such as
cancer, which might decrease your life span.
There are some drawbacks. You may have to wait for a kidney to be donated. If so, you will need to
have dialysis while you wait. Also, it may be hard to find a good
match for your blood and tissue types. Sometimes, even when the match is good,
the body rejects the new kidney.
After a kidney
transplant, you will have to take medicines called immunosuppressants.
These medicines, such as cyclosporine or tacrolimus, help prevent your body
from
your new kidney.
- It is very important to take your medicines
exactly as prescribed. This will help keep your body from rejecting your new
kidney.
- You will need to take medicines for the rest of your
life.
- Because these medicines weaken the function of your
, you will have an increased risk for serious infections or cancer.
Even if you take your medicines, there is a chance that
your body will reject your new kidney. If this happens, you will have to resume
dialysis or have another kidney transplant.
The success of the transplant also depends on what kind of donor kidney
you are receiving. The closer the donor kidney matches your genetic makeup, the
better the chances that your body will not reject it.
For more general information about transplant, see the
topic
Organ Transplant.
What to think about
A kidney transplant doesn't
guarantee that you will live longer than you would have without a new
kidney.
Kidney transplant surgery is expensive but has been
covered by Medicare since the 1970s. Check with your insurance company or Medicare
about your coverage.