Kidney Transplant

Liver Transplant

Kidney transplantation is a procedure that places a healthy kidney from another person (preferably a family member) into your body. The donated kidney does the work that your two failed kidneys used to do.

You will undergo a thorough medical evaluation before kidney transplantation. In the meantime, you will be treated with dialysis.

For kidney transplantation, the transplant team considers three factors in matching kidneys with potential recipients. These factors help predict whether your body’s immune system will accept the new kidney or reject it.

Blood type. Your blood type (A, B, AB, or O) must be compatible with the donor’s. Blood type is the most important matching factor.

Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Your cells carry six important HLAs, three inherited from each parent. Family members are most likely to have a complete match. You may still receive a kidney if the HLAs aren’t a complete match as long as your blood type is compatible with the organ donors and other tests show no problems with matching.

Cross-matching antigens. The last test before implanting an organ is the cross-match. A small sample of your blood will be mixed with a sample of the organ donor’s blood in a tube to see if there’s a reaction. If no reaction occurs, the result is called a negative cross-match, and the transplant operation can proceed.

Liver transplantation or hepatic transplantation is the replacement of a diseased liver with a healthy liver. This kind of surgery has been done for more than 38 years. Many people have had liver transplants and now lead normal lives.

All living donors and donated livers are tested before transplant surgery. The testing makes sure the liver is healthy, matches your blood type, and is the right size so it has the best chance of working in your body.
The surgery involves disconnecting your diseased liver from your bile ducts and blood vessels before removing it. The blood that flows into your liver will be blocked or sent through a machine to return to the rest of your body. The surgeon will put the healthy liver in place and reconnect it to your bile ducts and blood vessels. Your blood will then flow into your new liver.
After you leave the transplant center at the hospital, you will see your doctor often to be sure your new liver is working well. You will have regular blood tests to check that your new liver is not being damaged by rejection, infections, or problems with blood vessels or bile ducts. You will need to avoid sick people and report any illnesses to your doctor. You will need to eat a healthy diet, exercise, and not drink alcohol, especially if alcohol was the cause of damage to your own liver. You should use medicines, including ones you can buy without a prescription, only if your doctor says they are safe for you. It is important to do what your doctor says to take care of your new liver.