Can People with Kidney Transplant Recover from Covid 19?

Ever since its arrival, Covid 19 continues to make waves in every global household. However, the way it has completely changed the lifestyles of millions is there for all of us to see. With its symptoms very much similar to common cold and influenza when it began, it has now started to take various shapes with more symptoms added. Medical experts, divided across different disciplines, are now scratching their heads and are vary about Covid 19 affecting their area of medical speciality. As such, Nephrologists researching the effects of Covid 19, on a Kidney Transplant Surgery, continues at a brisk pace.

Eminent doctors from one of the premier Kidney transplantation hospitals in Bangalore, NU Hospitals, are of the opinion that post transplantation patients could be more vulnerable to Covid 19 infection and if contacted, the recovery time is between 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the severity.

With Kidney Transplantation in Bangalore being one of the widely performed surgeries in hospitals across Bangalore, doctors from NU Hospitals continue their efforts through research to find out how the effects of Covid 19 can be minimized on people who have undergone transplantation.

One of the major reasons seen could be the usage of immunosuppressive drugs by transplant recipients. Contrary to certain findings that Covid 19 spares children, the fact of the matter is that, children too, if they have had to undergo transplantation at an early age, may not be spared by Covid 19.

With a slow recovery rate and the cost of kidney transplantation being what it is, many eminent nephrologists recommend that, those patients who are affected by Covid 19 and are due for transplantation can put their surgery on hold, until they recover completely from Covid. With a Covid test, likely to be the new norm, before being cleared for any major surgery, patients might have to get themselves tested for Covid 19.

Studies have revealed that the risk of acquiring COVID-19 from organ donation is low. Donated kidneys are thoroughly screened for COVID-19. If a kidney tests positive for COVID-19, the organ cannot be used for transplantation.

Nephrologists at the best Kidney Transplantation Hospital in Bangalore, NU Hospitals, are also of the opinion that should any patient who has undergone Kidney Transplantation, come across any Covid 19 like symptoms, they should immediately connect with their respective doctors. Basic Covid 19 safety protocols should be followed at all times like wearing masks, sanitising your hands, maintaining a perfect hygiene and social distancing, to avoid the risk of getting affected by Covid, post transplantation.

The Current Scenario of Kidney Transplants in India

Kidney transplant is a procedure done through surgery to replace diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor. The transplanted kidney takes over the work of two kidneys that failed so that the patient doesn’t need dialysis. During the kidney transplant surgery, a new kidney is placed in the lower abdomen and the artery and vein of the new kidney is connected to the body’s artery and vein.

The current scenario of Kidney Transplant in India

The wait for a new and matching kidney can be very long sometimes. Generally, the transplanted kidneys come from either deceased donors or at times they could come from a family member. About 2 lakh patients in India are waiting for organ donation with a mere 15,000 donors available. However, post 2012, there has been a significant increase in organ donations. The Live Kidney Transplantation Programmed in India has evolved in the past 50 years and is currently the second largest program in numbers after the USA.

In India, the states doing relatively better in terms of transplantations and awareness are from the South Region- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry, and Andhra Pradesh. In the North region, however, Chandigarh has done well in terms of donors as per million.

As per the records in the Indian Transplant Registry, it is reported that between 1971 and 2015, a total of 21,395 kidneys were transplanted in India, out of which a mere number of 783 kidneys belonged to deceased donors. The report also predicts that more than 2.5 lakh people suffer from last-stage kidney diseases every year. In that 7 out of 10 patients go for dialysis and nearly 6 out of those 10 can’t continue due to heavy treatment fees. As a majority of patients suffering from kidney disease come up at the send stage, dialysis and kidney transplant become the only option.

Backed by the world-class facilities and technologies, Nu Hospitals provide quality medical services for people who are suffering from kidney and urological diseases, with a special focus for medical tourism patients.