Kidney transplant.

PaulMacC · 03-09-2010, 07:58 PM

My brother is in need of a kidney as he was born with only one that functions and that is at 15%, it has been declining over the past few years, so my dad is willing to donate. Their operation takes place on the 22nd of September and I was wondering is it generally a safe operation. I'm just really worried incase something happens.

**HotelUser** · 03-09-2010, 08:04 PM

The complications from kidney donation can be divided into those arising immediately from operation and whose which may emerge many years after the operation. The perioperative mortality rate for kidney donors is estimated to be 0.03%.10 Approximately 20 deaths have been reported after living allograft donation over 35 years.11 These data included donations made in the early years of transplantation; it is likely that perioperative mortality has since declined. Apart from the risk of mortality, Major complication of nephrectomy are very rare around 0.2% while minor complications occurs around 8% which included wound infection, pneumothorax atelactasis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection and deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism.

The long-term risk can be assessed precisely because of the careful follow-up on thousands of renal donors and extensive information available from other unilaterally nephrectomized patients. Survival studies indicated that the 5 year life- expectancy of a unilaterally nephrectomized 35 year old male donor is 99.1% compared with 99.3% normal expectation.This has been compared with the risk incurred in driving a car 16 miles every working day. In Swedish experience 85% of donors were alive after 20 years of follow up where as the expected survival rate was 66%, suggesting donor survival is even better than that of the general population.

Source: http://www.karmayog.org/kidney/kidney_11438.htm

I'm really sorry to hear about your brother's health problems, Paul; and I wish him and your father nothing but the best of luck and for a speedy recovery after the operation

PaulMacC · 03-09-2010, 08:18 PM

Thats still very scary for me

I'm really nervous

**dbgtz** · 03-09-2010, 10:48 PM

Did you brother have kidney failure at any point (just wondering)?

Grippz · 03-09-2010, 11:05 PM

My auntie had a kidney transplant quite a few years ago now and everything went fine, best of luck to your brother and father!

chantellehugs · 04-09-2010, 09:27 AM

I was watching 'The Hospital' on channel 4 the other day and I think the person was doing a kidney transplant, the doctor was saying that they tend to know whether the operation will be a success when they've connected the liver to the person, something about it being accepted.

I hope everything goes well for them both

.

If you're getting really nervous maybe you could ask your father and brother about it, I'm sure the doctor will or has explained everything about the operation. Might put your mind at ease a bit.

PaulMacC · 04-09-2010, 09:40 AM

My mum said the operation is mostly risk free, there is just a bit of breathing problems after the kidney has been taken out and put in to the recipient.