What is a kidney transplant?

For some young people a kidney transplant is the best treatment. Kidney transplantation is involves surgery where a healthy kidney is removed from one person and placed in the body of another person who needs it. Not everyone is able to have a transplant and sometimes it may involve waiting for a year or longer before a suitable kidney becomes available. The operation takes a few hours, and often involves needing to stay in hospital for ten days or longer to recover and to check that the new kidney works well. After a successful transplant, you should feel much better. A new kidney may work for many years but if you do have a transplant you will need to take medicines and attend appointments and may need further kidney transplants, dialysis or other care later in life.

You can read more about kidney transplant at:

• Kidney transplant | InfoKid
• What is a kidney transplant? | National Kidney Federation

Rejection

If you do have a kidney transplant there are some things you need to be aware of. Rejection is an expected response to the transplanted kidney. Rejection episodes are more likely to occur within the first few months post-transplant but can still occur months and years after. Most rejection episodes can be treated successfully but early treatment is best.

If you notice any of the changes below please contact the kidney unit immediately as it can be a sign of rejection:

• Pain or tenderness over the new kidney
• Fever
• Flu like symptoms
• Reduced urine output
• Puffiness around the ankles, legs and face
• Increased blood pressure
• Rapid weight gain

Other risks

Alongside knowing signs of rejection it is important to be aware of other risks;

• Exposure to infectious childhood diseases such as chicken pox can be a risk if you are on immunosuppressive medications. Please contact the kidney unit if you have any contact with such illnesses.
• No vaccination or immunisation should be given without prior consultation with the kidney doctors, as people on immunosuppressive medications cannot have live vaccinations/immunisations.
• Sunbathing can cause damage to our skin, as it may cause skin changes, which can lead to skin cancer. Because the immunosuppressive drugs reduce the body's resistance to such skin changes it is very important that sun block is worn at all times in the sun, at least SPF 35.