When you are well-prepared for your kidney transplant, you are in a better position to recover and succeed with your new kidney in the long-term.
As part of your kidney transplant preparation, you’ll want to be ready medically, have support in place and play an active role in identifying a living donor kidney.
Your care team will tell you what tests you’ll need for your pre-surgery kidney transplant evaluation. Common tests include:
Your providers will also review your medications and make sure you’re managing other health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
You should keep up with lifestyle recommendations such as choosing a healthy diet, getting physical activity and avoiding alcohol, smoking, marijuana and illicit drug use.
If possible, you may want to find a living kidney donor for your transplant. With a living donor, you have a shorter wait time for your transplant, less risk of rejection and a longer life expectancy.
Talk to your transplant team about finding a living donor. They can help you get more comfortable talking about your need for a living donor, so you can start sharing your story in the hopes of connecting with a family member, friend, community member or even a stranger who is willing to donate.
You may want to have a living kidney donor champion, which is someone who advocates for you and spreads the word about your need for a kidney.
If you find a donor whose kidney isn’t compatible, you may be able to participate in a kidney paired exchange, where two or more donors and two or more recipients work together so recipients get kidneys that are strong matches.
Learn more about living kidney donation.
Banner Health participates in the national transplant list maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a private, nonprofit organization. You can be placed on the wait list for a kidney from a deceased donor even if you are trying to find a living donor.
Your wait time for a kidney can vary based on your age, blood type, antibodies, length of time on dialysis, overall health and other factors. The average wait time in Arizona is three to seven years.
The list is always changing as people are added, transplanted or placed on hold.
While you’re waiting for a kidney, it’s important to visit your provider, keep your dialysis appointments and notify your transplant team of any changes in your personal or health status, including contact information, travel, infection, blood transfusions and medical procedures.
You will need to choose and confirm a caregiver before you can have a kidney transplant. This person will be your advocate and will help you with the changes and challenges that come with an organ transplant.
Caregivers also help you get to and from medical appointments, pick up medications, contact the transplant team about any issues and help with tasks like meal preparation, housekeeping, shopping and errands.
Your caregiver should be present at your pre-evaluation appointment with the social worker.
Your caregiver must also attend the kidney transplant education and discharge teaching session so they can learn about:
Review your finances and create a plan to cover costs like:
You may want to consider fundraising to help offset your costs.
Understanding kidney transplantation can help you know what to expect. At Banner Health, we offer:
Reach out for the resources and support you need:
If you have a living kidney donor, your surgery will be scheduled. With a deceased donor, you will be notified that you need to go to the transplant center right away.
When you arrive, the transplant team will:
To prepare for surgery, you will have an IV placed in your arm or hand, a catheter in your bladder and lung support for breathing while you’re under anesthesia.
The surgery itself takes two to four hours. Your surgeon makes an incision and places the new kidney in your abdomen, connecting it to your blood vessels and bladder. Your existing kidney will most likely stay in place.
After surgery, you’ll go to a recovery area and then possibly to the intensive care unit. From there, you transfer to a transplant care unit for a few days.
With your caregiver, you will need to prepare in advance for how you’ll get home and how to manage your medication, as well as making sure your caregiver understands the additional care you’ll need.
Learn more about what happens after a kidney transplant.
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