What happens during a kidney Transplant procedure?

There is a huge need for organ transplants in India. As per a report in India, around 5, 00,000 people have urgent requirements for immediate organ transplantation in order to save their lives from organ damage.

Organ transplantation is considered one of the most crucial achievements in medical history. Different parts of the body that can be transplanted and the laws that govern organ transplantation.

Organ transplantation gives hope to thousands of people suffering from organ failure. There are different types of organ transplants available nowadays like- Heart transplant, Lung transplant, Liver transplant, Pancreas transplant, Cornea transplant, Trachea transplant, Kidney transplant, Skin transplant, Vascular tissues transplant, etc.

Kidney Transplantation/Renal transplantation:

Kidney transplantation is a surgical process of placing a healthy kidney from a donor into the recipient’s body, a patient whose kidneys no longer function properly or having irreversible advanced kidney disease or suffering from end-stage renal disease. This process is also known as Renal Transplantation.

At the time of Kidney Transplantation Surgery, the donor’s kidney is placed into the patient's body and new kidney's blood vessels are connected to the lower abdomen's blood vessels and ureter of the new kidney is attached to the bladder. The new kidney filters blood and starts to produce urine as well. To stop the body from rejecting the new kidney proper medications are given.

Only one healthy kidney can replace two failed kidneys but the compatibility of blood group must be checked before processing for a Kidney Transplant Treatment. 

After the successful procedure of Kidney Transplantation, the graft starts functioning immediately and improves the quality of life that lessens the risk of death than maintaining dialysis lifelong.

Most patients experience that Kidney Transplant Surgery made them feel better as it has given them another chance of spending time with their family, traveling and to pursue their hobbies as well as returning to work. It also saved their time and money spent on various therapies for dialysis.

Patients with Kidney Transplants typically have a longer life expectancy than patients who had to stay on dialysis.

NU Hospitals offer the best kidney transplantation treatment (renal transplants) with comprehensive kidney care post-surgery. It is authorized to perform both kidney transplants as well as cadaveric transplants. NU Hospitals Bengaluru has a team of expert surgeons with international standards to completely take care of your Kidney Transplantation and ensure a healthy recovering.

Find more info to get an appointment.

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.

Prostate Cancer Symptoms, Treatment, Causes & Stages

The prostate is a gland of the male reproductive system. It is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. Its main function is to produce fluid for semen, which transports sperm.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that begins most often in the outer part of the prostate. It may spread to the inner part of the prostate and beyond the prostate to other parts of the body.

Who gets prostate cancer?

Most men who get prostate cancer are above the age of 50 years and the risk increases with age. Other risk factors are family history and smoking

What are the stages of prostate cancer?

Stage 1

The doctor is unable to feel the tumor, but has been found during TUR-P or was found by needle biopsy that was done for elevated PSA

Stage 2

The doctor can feel the tumor by rectal examination and it appears confined to the prostate gland.

Stage 3

Cancer has spread beyond the prostate to nearby tissues like seminal vesicles

Stage 4

Cancer has spread to other organs like bladder, rectum, the pelvic lymph nodes or to distant parts of the body, most commonly to the bones.

How is prostate cancer treated?

Your doctor may use one or more of the following methods – surgery, hormone treatment, radiation and anti-cancer drugs. The choice depends on the stage of the cancer, your age and other medical co-morbidities.

Radical prostatectomy is used to treat cancer localized in the prostate and involves complete removal of the prostate. Often the pelvic lymph nodes are removed as well.

Radiation therapy uses high energy x-ray beam to kill cancer cells. Radiation may be given from a machine located outside the body (external radiation therapy), or from a radioactive substance introduced directly into the tumor. Sometimes a combination of these methods is used.

Both surgery and radiation provide excellent 10-year survival rates. Your doctor can help advise you about the best treatment for your kidney cancer.

Hormonal therapy is used to treat prostate cancer which has spread beyond the prostate. The 2 basic techniques involve:

• drugs that prevent the release or counter the action of male hormones
• surgical removal of the testicles, which make the male hormones. Because male hormones stimulate the growth of prostate cancer, treatments that interfere with the effect of these hormones can slow the cancer’s growth, sometimes dramatically. Occasionally, chemotherapy is used.

NU Hospitals provide the cutting-edge prostate cancer surgery and treatment in Bangalore, India. We also provide Kidney transplant surgery.

Recovery Tips for Kidney Transplant Patients

After returning home, you want to resume ‘normal living’. If you feel like going for a movie, or any social occasion, DO IT! If you’d like to have friends visit you at home, that’s OK too! Try as much as possible to return to your normal routine.

However, the key is moderation and measuring your limits. Initially, you might have less energy but with time your body will heal and adjust to your new medications. There are also many things you should consider in your life after kidney transplant surgery that involve taking care of your new kidney.

Diet and exercise

If you were on dialysis before your transplant, you will notice a difference in what you can eat and drink once your new kidney has been transplanted. You will still need to eat foods low in salt and fat to prevent high blood pressure, and if you have diabetes, you need to watch your blood sugar. Exercise can help improve your heart and lung health, prevent weight gain, etc.

Anxiety, depression and mental health

Getting a kidney transplant isn’t a cakewalk, it’s normal to undergo all kinds of emotions afterward. If you’re experiencing feelings of anxiety, depression or guilt, please don’t consider yourself alone, many transplant patients experience these feelings at first, for many reasons.

• Mood changes may be a side effect of the immunosuppressant medicines you are taking.
• You may also feel stressed or anxious about your new lifestyle.
• Your family members may also have emotional changes as they also have to adjust to your new lifestyle.

Returning to work

If you are planning on going back to work, your transplant team may advise you to wait three to six weeks after your surgery. You will also be given certain limits on what you should do.

Keeping your new kidney healthy

To keep yourself healthy, and to make sure your new kidney works well, follow the below points:

• Take your immunosuppressant and other medicines exactly how your doctor will advise you.
• Know the signs of infection and contact your kidney transplant doctor immediately.
• Avoid being around people who are sick.
• Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
• Consume foods that are low in salt, fat and cholesterol.

Consult at NU Hospitals because it offers one of the best kidney transplant surgeries in Bangalore.

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.

Benefits and Risks of Kidney Transplant

Kidney Transplant surgery is a medical procedure wherein the defective kidney is replaced by a healthy kidney taken from a living or deceased donor. It is a treatment of last resort, performed when there is no possibility of restoring the function of the kidney back to good health, which is usually the case due to ailments like chronic kidney failure. It is also a preferred option compared to   repeated dialysis sessions for the remainder of the person’s life.

In the field of Nephrology although there are many risks to this procedure, there are immense benefits accrued from this as well, and it would be prudent for us to know both of them in order to make an informed decision.

Benefits of Kidney Transplant

• This is an excellent alternative to dialysis, provided there is a good match between the donor and recipient.
• The recipient can resume his/her normal, day-to-day activities in both personal as well as professional spheres of his/her life, although the person will have to take medications to prevent kidney rejection.
• A successful kidney transplant has a very good success rate, both in terms of the life span of the person as well as the quality of life post-transplantation.  This means, a significantly better quality of life and higher chances of living longer. Also, the dietary restrictions are relatively few compared to being on dialysis.
• This allows the recipient to have a more fulfilling and satisfactory life.
• For the donor too, the restrictions that are put in place after donating the kidney are beneficial to him/her if there is a family history of kidney diseases, as the restrictions act as prophylactic measures.
• A successful surgery may correct anemia and result in fewer blood pressure medications if the person had been suffering from hypertension before.

NU Hospitals is one of the best kidney care hospitals that evaluates each potential case, facilitating  and performing successful transplants solely on the basis of safety of and benefits to the patient.  The doctors take a holistic view of the entire case and consider both the advantages as well as risks, and only go ahead with this procedure if the former outweighs the latter. Here are some of the risks that need to be considered:

Risks of Kidney Transplant

• There are chances of rejection of the donor kidneys by the recipient’s system even in case of a match.
• There might be potential side-effects arising out of this process, including any adverse reactions to the anesthesia administered as part of the surgery, or due to infection or bleeding. These include acne, diabetes, excessive hair growth or hair loss, weight gain etc.
• Kidney transplant can increase the risks for some varieties of cancer.
• Regular health checks are mandatory for the recipient for the rest of his/her life.
• In rare cases, death may occur due to unexplained reasons even after a successful transplantation.

Kidney Transplant in India requires the hospital to first put the patient’s name on the recipient list and then wait for a suitable donor. Once the donor is available, both are briefed about the process and only then is the treatment carried out. 

What Diet to Follow After Kidney Transplant?

It’s true, your diet still plays a big role after a kidney transplant. Renal failure may have limited intake of certain foods because it’s equally important to keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly.

How will your diet change after kidney transplant surgery?

While renal failure might have caused you to experience many limitations on the types of foods you could consume before your transplant, several of these dietary restrictions might not apply after transplant surgery. As there’s new freedom to indulge in various foods, and an increased feeling of hunger due to medicines, it’s easy to see why excessive weight gain is a common problem for most of the transplant patients.

After a kidney transplant, it’s a must to follow a diet low is salt and high in fiber. A balanced diet includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, reduced fat dairy products, whole grains, and plenty of water. At NU Hospitals, you’ll get to consult with some of the best kidney transplantation surgeons in Bangalore, who will help you understand which foods you should avoid and why.

Some germs cause bacterial infections. Some bacterial infections can be picked up from food. You can help lower your chances of infection from food by:

• Handling foods safely, like frequently washing your hands
• Being cautious when eating out
• Avoiding certain ‘high-risk’ foods because they are more likely to contain bacteria that can cause an infection. 

What are some of the ‘high-risk’ foods to avoid?

It’s recommended to avoid foods that are spoiled, moldy or past its ‘use by’ date, as well as avoid the foods listed below.

• Meat, poultry and fish
• Prawns or shrimp
• Crab
• Squid
• Crayfish
• Clams, oysters
• Sushi 

In dairy products: 

• Unpasteurized milk, cheese or yogurt
• Uncooked eggs
• Fruits and vegetables
• Unwashed raw fruits and damaged fruits
• Grapefruit or grapefruit juice and pomegranate juice
• Bean sprouts
• Unpasteurized juices or ciders

NU Hospitals, Bangalore has been successfully offering renal transplantation surgeries over the years with the aid of world class facilities and technologies.