Kidney Transplant: Before Your Surgery

What is a kidney transplant?

A kidney transplant gives you a healthy kidney from another person. The new kidney may come from someone you know. Or it may come from a stranger or a person who has died.

Before you have a transplant, you will need to have tests to see how well the donor kidney matches your tissue type and blood type.

To do the surgery, the doctor makes a cut (incision) in your lower belly. The doctor places the donated kidney in your lower belly. Your own kidneys are not taken out unless they're causing problems. Then the blood vessels of the new kidney are connected to your blood vessels. The doctor also connects the ureter of the new kidney to your bladder. (A ureter is the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.) Then the incision is closed with stitches or staples. The incision will leave a scar that will fade with time.

You need only one healthy kidney to live. The new kidney can do the work that your own kidneys can't do. It will remove waste from your blood. It will keep your body's fluids and chemicals in balance. Your new kidney may start to work very soon after surgery, or it may take a few weeks. If your kidney doesn't start to work right away, you will need to have dialysis until the new kidney can take over.

You will probably spend several days in the hospital.

Most people need to take several weeks or longer off from work. It depends on the type of work you do and how you feel.

How do you prepare for surgery?

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if you should stop taking it before your surgery. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do. These medicines increase the risk of bleeding.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.
• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.

What happens on the day of surgery?

• Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
• Take a bath or shower before you come in for your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
• Do not shave the surgical site yourself.
• Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

At the hospital or surgery center

• Bring a picture ID.
• You may get an epidural catheter. This is a tiny tube that delivers pain medicine directly into the area in your back around your spinal cord. It will prevent pain after surgery.
• You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. You will be asleep during the surgery.
• The surgery will take 3 to 6 hours.
• You may have a tube coming out of your belly to drain fluids for a few days.
• You may have a thin, plastic tube in your nose that goes down the back of your throat into your stomach to drain stomach juices. It is usually removed within a few days after surgery.

When should you call your doctor?

• You have questions or concerns.
• You don't understand how to prepare for your surgery.
• You become ill before the surgery (such as fever, flu, or a cold).
• You need to reschedule or have changed your mind about having the surgery.