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Kidney Transplant Side Effects



 Submitted by Nic on July 26, 2011
The term kidney transplant refers to a surgery performed to replace an individual’s failed kidneys with a healthy kidney that is functioning normally. During the procedure the surgeon places the kidney in the lower regions of the abdomen and connects it with the patient’s blood vessels. The new kidney generally starts producing urine once the patient’s blood begins flowing through it. In some cases it takes a couple of weeks to start functioning properly. The donated kidney’s average lifetime is about ten to fifteen years. If the transplant fails due to some reason or the other, the patient has the option of a second transplant.

What are the side effects seen after a kidney transplant procedure? Before we discuss the kidney transplant side effects, you need to understand that a very critical part of organ transplantation is preventing the donor kidney from being rejected by the patient’s body. This, rejection takes place because the body’s immune system does not recognize the foreign body. It, therefore, becomes important to suppress the patient’s immune system with the help of immunosuppressant drugs. As the immune system of the patient is suppressed, the patient may be susceptible to kidney transplant side effects such as infection and sepsis. Some other side effects seen after a kidney transplant could include:

• A disorder known as post-transplant lymphoproliferative; this disorder is caused by the suppressants that one has to take.
• There could also be an imbalance in the electrolytes such as phosphate and calcium which could cause a decrease in the patient’s bone health.
• Other kidney transplant medication side effects include ulcers of the esophagus and stomach, gastrointestinal inflammation, obesity, hair loss, diabetes mellitus (type 2), acne, hypercholesterolemia, hirsutism, and others.

Some other common kidney transplant drug side effects such as high blood pressure and tremors are mainly a result of the dosage given and can be controlled with proper dosing. Kidney transplant donor side effects are the same as compared with any other surgery. These include blood clots, pneumonia, post-operative pain, and side-effects caused by the anesthesia. Many people opt for kidney transplant surgery in spite of being aware of the side effects of kidney transplant. This is because with kidney transplant surgery the patient would typically live at least ten to twelve years longer as compared to a patient on dialysis. Kidney transplantation patients have fewer restrictions on their diet, more energy, and fewer health complications.
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