Kidney Transplant

• Kidney transplant surgery cost in India ranges between USD 10,000 to USD 14000.
• Kidney transplant surgery requires a hospital stay of approximately 10 days and 30 days outside the hospital.
• Kidney donor and the recipient should be in your blood-relation, as it is illegal in India to get a local donor.
• Medical tests to undergo are blood tests, Chest X-Ray, ECHO, ECG, Cardiac Stress Test, Compatibility Tests, Colonoscopy, Prostate Exam and Cancer Screening.

Treatment Cost

More About Treatment

Types of Kidneys Transplant

• Deceased donor transplant - We may get a healthy donated kidney from a deceased donor that is someone who is dead and donated his kidney. Usually, its made sure the donor and recipient are often in the same region to minimize the time the kidney is outside a human body.

• Living donor transplant – living people who donate one of their kidneys are called living donor, maybe a family member, friend or even stranger, that person will need a health exam to test whether the kidney is a good match.

• Pre-emptive kidney transplant - It is a kidney transplant before going in for dialysis, A pre-emptive kidney transplant is a kidney transplant that takes place before your kidney function deteriorates to the point of needing dialysis.

Clickhereto know more about types of kidney transplant

(ESRD) – End-Stage Renal Disease is a chronic kidney disease that needsa renal transplant,as it cannot be treated with medical treatments.Dialysis and Renal transplantation are the only life-saving treatment for treating End-Stage Kidney Disease. Some hospitals offer comprehensive Renal Transplant Program that provides thorough health care to patients grappling with End-Stage Kidney Disease.

Compared to dialysis, kidney transplantation procedureis associated with:

• Better quality of life

• Lower risk of death

• Fewer dietary restrictions

• Lower treatment cost

Step I -Medical and Psychological assessment

The physician determines whether you are healthy enough for surgery or that you have a condition that would make transplantation difficult to succeed Also checked whether you are psychologically prepared for the responsibilities of caring for a transplanted kidney. You will need to have blood tests as well as other tests to check your heart and other organs.Your blood type and other matching factors

if your medical evaluation shows you are a candidate for a transplant, your transplant center will submit your name to be placed on the waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor. Waiting period may range to even a few years.

If a family member or friend wants to donate a kidney, that person will need a health exam to test whether the kidney is a good match in such cases you do not need to be placed on the waiting list and can schedule the surgery when it is convenient for you and your donor.

Step II-Blood tests for cross matching before transplant

The transplant team considers three factors in matching kidneys with potential recipients. These matching factors help predict whether your body’s immune system—will accept or reject the new kidney.

• Blood type.Your blood type—A, B, AB, or O—must be compatible with the donor’s. Blood type is the most important matching factor..

• Human leukocyte antigens.These six antigens are proteins that help your immune system tell the difference between your own body’s tissues and foreign substances.

• Cross-matching antigens. A lab technician mixes a small sample of your blood with a sample of the organ donor’s blood in a tube to see if the mixture causes a reaction. If no reaction occurs—called a negative cross-match—the transplant can proceed.

Step III - Procedure

• Performed under general anaesthesia , procedure may last 3-4 hours

• The damaged kidney is left in place and not removed from the body unless it is infected.

• The donor kidney will be placed in your lower abdomen, The surgeon connects the artery and vein from the donor kidney to an artery and a vein in your body so your blood flows through your new kidney.

• The surgeon attaches the ureter from the donor kidney to your bladder, letting urine flow from the new kidney to your bladder.

• The new kidney may start working right away or may take up to a few weeks to make urine until then you my require dialysis treatment.

Step IV-After procedure

• You will have to stay in the hospital for few days after you receive your donor kidney. In few cases ,you may have to receive dialysis till the donor kidney starts functioning

• Your immune system detects your new kidney as foreign. So it will try and reject it , thus to keep your body from rejecting the donor kidney , you will have to take immunosuppressant medications that suppress body immune response.

• Antibiotics are prescribed after procedure to protect against infections.

• Follow-ups are important for successful transplantation

• Regular checkups initially weekly and gradually reducing the frequency of testing to ascertain how well the kidney is functioning and not going into rejection episode .

You may be interested in:Life after transplant

As in any surgery kidney transplant surgery too carries a risk of complications

• Blood clots

• An infection which can also be transmitted from the donor kidney

• Bleeding

• Leaking from or blockage of the tube (ureter) that links the kidney to the bladder

• Failure/rejection of the donated kidney

• Side effects of immunosuppressant medicines like bone-thinning osteoporosis and bone damage (osteonecrosis ), increased risk of infections esp skin cancer, edema, and weight gain.

Recommended:Cost of Kidney Transplant in Medanta Hospital

Kidney transplant surgery cost in India varies according to:

• The hospital, the patient chooses. It is preferable to opt for a hospital that specializes in kidney transplantation surgery. Some of the best kidney transplant hospital offering low-cost successful kidney transplant are Max Super Specialty Hospital Delhi NCR, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh

• Room –Standard single room, deluxe room, super deluxe room for the number of nights specified (including nursing fee, meals, room rate, and room service).

• Fee for the team of doctors and OT charges

• cost of medications

• Standard tests and diagnostic procedures.

• Cost of the follow –up care required after the procedure

Indian hospitals have a specialized 'Nephrology and Urology department' that boosts a comprehensive renal transplant program. As kidney transplant is a major transplant surgery performed, therefore, the stringent infection control practices, immunosuppressive protocols, etc. should be properly followed to avoid further complications.

FAQs

Why is it advisable to go ahead with a kidney transplant?

Dialysis which is a filtering procedure is also possible when there is a diagnosis of kidney failure however it is inconvenient and time-consuming procedure so a transplant is the ultimate treatment of choice for kidney failure.

Is it better to get a kidney from a living donor?

In both cases transplant from living as well as a deceased donor the kidney works but in case of a living donor it works more efficiently and may last longer.

- Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
- Living Donor Kidney Transplants
- Cadaver Donor Kidney Transplantation
- Paired Kidney Exchanges
- ABO-Incompatible Transplantation

What are the disadvantages of living kidney donation?

In this case, the healthy person also has to undergo surgery that is for the removal of a healthy kidney. And will need some recovery time before resuming activities.

When can I resume work after kidney transplant ?

It depends on your recovery , your health status , kind of work you do and other associated medical conditions if any . Usually after eight to ten weeks after transplant people rejoin work .

Do I need to follow diet restrictions after transplant ?

Its recommended to follow a healthy balanced diet with low salt and low fat intake ,you can take advice from a dietician .

What is Rejection syndrome ?

It means that the body is trying to reject the transplanted kidney some symptoms may be fever , decreased urine output , increase in weight , oedema , pain in region of kidney location .Chances of rejection highest initially after surgery , it reduces with time .Rejection episode can be checked with immunosuppressive medications.

Any particular age group for people to get a kidney transplant ?

Kidney failure patients of any age group —including children —can get a transplant done , the only criteria being they should be medically and psychologically fit for surgery .

What are the drawbacks of taking immunosuppressants for kidney transplant ?

Immunosuppressants suppress the immune system in the body thereby leading to lowered immunity leading to

• Bone thinning (osteoporosis) and bone damage (osteonecrosis)

• Diabetes, High blood pressure

• Increased risk of infections and cancer, particularly skin cancer and lymphoma

• Oedema and weight gain

• Liver or kidney damage

What are the results of kidney failure ?

If not treated kidney failure may cause seizures , coma , death

What are the types of dialysis ?

1. Hemodialysis,Peritoneal dialysis

When to avoid kidney transplant surgery?

Transplantation is usually avoided when it is not safe for the patient to undergo the surgery or is not fit to take medications for organ rejection cases like

• Advanced age

• Severe heart disease, cancer

• mental illness, alcohol /drug abuse

What is prognosis for a kidney transplant?

Kidney transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients having end-stage renal disease, Generally, patients have more energy, a less restricted diet, and fewer complications with a kidney transplant than if they stay on conventional dialysis.

What is the average life expectancy after kidney transplant surgery?

The patients who receive kidney transplant usually live longer than who are on dialysis. A living donor functions for 12 to 20 years, while a deceased one works for 8 to 12 years.

What are the legal requirements before kidney transplantation in India?

All organ transplants in India are governed by rules laid out by theIndian Government.The rules for a kidney transplant in India are quite strict and any deviation from the law attracts heavy punishment. The important highlights of kidney transplant in India are as follows:

• Close relatives can donate a kidney to the patient.Siblings, parents, children and spouse come under the category of 'close relatives'.

• In cases where the donor is not a close relative, government permission is required and is given only if it is established that there is no commercial angle whatsoever to the donation. There are some private hospitals in India where organ donation can be done under the 'Indian Transplant Registry'.