A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that is done to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from another person. The new, donated kidney does the work that the two failed kidneys used to do.
The healthy kidney may come from a living donor or a deceased organ donor. Living donors are often family members or individuals who are unrelated that are found to be a good match for the patient and able to donate one of their kidneys. This type of transplant is called a living transplant and the person who donated their kidney is able to live a healthy life with their one remaining kidney.
The person receiving a kidney transplant usually receives only one kidney, but, in rare situations, they may receive two kidneys from a deceased donor.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of kidney transplants. The wait time for a living donor transplant is generally shorter. And kidneys donated by living donors tend to last longer than kidneys donated by non-living donors. Finally, more is known about the health of living donors in order to determine if the transplant is a good match.
A kidney transplant is a treatment for kidney failure—it is not a cure. People who suffer from kidney disease and undergo a transplant require lifelong treatment and medications to keep their kidney working. If a transplant fails; then the person must either get another transplant or go onto dialysis.
If you have questions about a kidney transplant and if it’s the right decision for you, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Tariq Javed at his offices in Visalia (559-625-8674) or Porterville (550-793-4400).