Important Facts to know About Kidney Transplant Surgery

When your kidneys aren’t working the way they should, waste and extra fluids build up in your body. Dialysis is one way to treat this problem, but kidney transplant surgery is also a choice. Still, it might be a complex surgery. Here’s what you should know before you decide if it’s right for you.

How do I get a Donor Kidney?

If your surgeon thinks a kidney transplant Treatment is an option for you, he’ll have to undergo certain exams, X-rays, and scans to make sure you’re healthy enough to go through the transplant process. There are two different ways you can get a healthy kidney. The first is through what’s known as a ‘living donor’. This might be a family member or close friend who is willing to give you one of their kidneys. Or, it could be a stranger who’s willing to give you one of theirs. The second way you could get a kidney is from a deceased organ donor.

What happens during a surgery?

You’ll be given anesthesia so you stay asleep the whole time. Then, the surgeon will make an opening in your abdomen. Your own kidneys won’t be removed unless they’re infected or causing pain, but the donor kidney will be put in. Its blood vessels will be attached. The opening will be closed with stitches. A small drain may be put into your abdomen to get rid of any extra fluid that’s built up during the surgery.

What the recovery like?

You may be able to get out of bed and walk around the day after your kidney transplant. Although you should start to feel much better in about two weeks, you won’t be able to lift any heavy objects for about a month. You’ll recover faster if you stay active. Giving up smoking and alcohol are key to staying healthy.

Consult at NU Hospitals for a premium kidney transplant treatment for it is known to be one of the best kidney transplant hospitals in India.

Courses of Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

The first step in treating head and neck cancer is to determine the stage of cancer. Stage I and II cancers are usually small and have not spread from their original location. These are usually curable. Stage III and IV cancers have usually spread to nearby lymph nodes and are large tumors. Usually, they require more complicated treatment and have a smaller chance of cure, but most are potentially curable.

The three main courses of treatment for head and neck cancers are radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy.

Surgery: Surgeons may remove the tumor and a margin of surrounding tissue. Lymph nodes in the neck and may also be removed if it is suspected that the cancer has spread.

Surgery on the head and neck areas may alter the patient’s ability to chew, talk and swallow. For this, the patient might need speech therapy as well.

Radiation therapy: This involves the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. This may be done by placing radioactive materials into the body near the cancer cells.

Radiation therapy can have side effects, such as sores or irritation in the treated area, difficulty in swallowing or tasting, loss of saliva, decreased appetite.

Chemotherapy: This treatment involves the use of anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. It is more commonly used for advanced stage head and neck cancers.

Side effects include sores in the mouth, loss of appetite, vomiting, dizziness, joint pain and hair loss. Patients should consult with a physician about how to treat these side effects.

NU Hospitals has the best set of head and neck surgeons in Bangalore and it is also known to be one of the finest head and neck surgery hospitals in India.

Do You Need a Surgery for Removal of Kidney Stones?

Stones usually pass from the kidneys, and finally through the urethra on their own without causing any pain. They develop primarily when you do not feel the urge to urinate often. Both the genders can develop stones in their lifetime- the common age group being 35-60+.

Let us take some of the queries related to removal of kidney stones:

Does one need kidney stone surgery for removal of stone?

This entirely depends on the location, size of the stone and the damage it is causing to our kidneys. A small stone of around the size of 6mm or less, which is in the urinary tube not causing much of swelling of the kidney, can be managed medically. You won’t be requiring surgery but you have to be under medical supervision. On the contrary, larger stones in the ureter causing swelling of the kidney or infection require immediate removal by ureteroscopy and Holmium LASER. Small obstructing stones in the kidney also require removal either by shock waves that is crushing the stones from outside. Though this method is not as effective. Large kidney stones can be removed by a small hole through the skin. This method is called Per Cutaneous Nephro Lithotripsy (PCNL).

Will one get kidney stones again?

There is high probability that one gets the stone again in his life time. Almost 40% patients can develop second stone in their lifetime. Therefore, it’s better if one undergoes a regular check up with the doctor.

Will they damage the kidneys?

Stones which block the kidney, whether they are in kidney or ureter and cause swelling of the kidney can gradually damage the kidney function. Stones can also cause recurrent infection in urinary tract which can further damage the renal function. 

Equipped with matchless technologies and a set of well-learned surgeons making NU Hospitals one of the best to provide kidney stone treatments in Bangalore.

Prevention of Bladder stones

Bladder stones are caused when minerals build up in the bladder and form into small ‘stones’. Mostly affecting older males, bladder stones can be uncomfortable. Basically, the leftover urine becomes concentrated and minerals within the liquid turn into crystals. Sometimes, these stones will be passed while they are very small. Other times, bladder stones can get stuck to the wall of the bladder or ureter.

Symptoms:

• Discomfort or pain in the penis for males
• More frequent urination or a stop-start flow
• Pain in the lower stomach area
• Presence of blood in the urine
• Pain and discomfort while urinating

Prevention:

As bladder stones are caused by a range of medical illnesses, there are no specific ways to prevent them. However, if an individual experiences any odd urinary symptoms- pain, discoloration, blood- getting an earlier medical opinion is advised. Some of the techniques include:

• Increase fluid intake to lower urine concentration (2-3 liters a day)
• Regular emptying of the bladder
• Double voiding to increase emptying of urine from the bladder
• Using laxatives to avoid constipation

These techniques are often beneficial and help to stop the formation of Kidney stones with minimal adverse effects on the individual.

Backed by a set of erudite surgeons and world-class facilities, NU Hospitals has proven itself to provide one of the best bladder and renal stones treatments in India.