Can you transplant a kidney

Answer 1

Are you the person the kidney is being transplanted into or the person who is considering donating the kidney?

Either way, the answer is yes:

If you are the person donating the kidney, the greatest risk is during the actual surgery, probably from complications due to anesthesia or bleeding during and after the surgery. While anesthesia is very safe, sometimes problems do occur. Bleeding during and after surgery can be anticipated if you have prior bleeding problems, like hemophilia.

If you are the person receiving the kidney, your risks of dying are multiplied. First of all, you may be quite sick to need a transplant. Secondly, the surgeons are placing foreign tissues into your body - there is a risk of anaphylactic reaction to the foreign tissue. Thirdly, you will be taking immunosuppresant medications for as long as the donated kidney is functioning, which makes you more likely to get infections, which sometimes can be serious. The medications you take also have side-effects which may result in further medical problems or concerns. Also, There is also the ever-present concern for transmission of infection, such as hepatitis, HIV, or other bacterial or viral infections. Finally, organ rejection may make the transplanted kidney useless to you, necessitating the need for dialysis. However, physicians often are able to reverse rejection episodes and they are seldom fatal.

I am in no way trying to discourage anyone from donating or receiving donated organs. I myself have listed myself as an organ donor, as well as a bone marrow donor. Donors and recipients are very well screened and matched, and side-effects of medications as well as transplant status are watched very closely. Today's immunosuppressive medications are often well tolerated. Transplant recipients who participate in their health, eat a balanced diet, and exercise tolerate the medications well and report minimal side effects. Transplant centers now report recipients of a perfectly matched kidney may receive 20 - 25 years of function from the graft with non-perfectly matched kidneys lasting 10 - 15 years. Donors often report feelings of great satisfaction with the donation experience because they have helped to improve another person's quality of life. For additional information, visit the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) at www.unos.org or the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org, or the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at www2.niddk.nih.gov

As always, discuss this with your transplant surgeon to determine what is right for you.

J. DeLaughter, DO T. McDermott, kidney transplant recipient, 2008

Answer 2

Yes, it is possible to die from an infection, or from rejection of the liver. But it should be noted that while any surgery has risks, modern medicine has come a long way in making liver transplants safer. Many people who have had this procedure go on to resume healthy and productive lives. A good resource for accurate information about the procedure, its risks and its benefits is the Mayo Clinic:

Answer 3

Yes.

The advantage is we all have two so we can all be living donors.

Answer 4

Yes you can transplant a kidney this has been common for years you can even have a heart transplant.

Answer 5

Yes and thousands have.