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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staff
Complications of the procedure
Kidney transplant surgery carries a risk of significant complications, including:
- Blood clots
- Bleeding
- Leaking from or blockage of the tube (ureter) that links the kidney to the bladder
- Infection
- Failure of the donated kidney
- Rejection of the donated kidney
Anti-rejection medication side effects
After a kidney transplant you'll take medications to help prevent your body from rejecting the donor kidney. These medications can cause a variety of side effects, including:
- Bone thinning
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Skin sensitivity
- Puffiness
- Weight gain
- Swollen gums
- Acne
- Excessive hair growth
- Kidney transplant. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozprint.cfm?id=86. Accessed July 12, 2009.
- Punch JD. Organ transplantation. In: Doherty GM, et al. Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2066708. Accessed July 12, 2009.
- Kidney failure: Choosing a treatment that's right for you. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/choosingtreatment/. Accessed July 13, 2009.
- Post TW, et al. Patient survival after renal transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 25, 2009.
- Humar A, et al. Transplantation. In: Brunicardi FC, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=799511. Accessed July 13, 2009.
- Getting a new kidney. American Society of Transplantation. http://www.a-s-t.org/files/pdf/patient_education/english/AST-EdBroNEWKIDNEY-ENG.pdf. Accessed July 13, 2009.
- Coping with the physical side effects of anti-rejection medications. American Society of Transplantation. http://www.healthytransplant.com/index.php?q=quality_of_life/coping_with_the_physical_side_effect_of_anti-rejection_medications. Accessed July 13, 2009.
- Morgan GE, et al. Anesthesia for genitourinary surgery. In Morgan GE. Clinical Anesthesiology. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=893115. Accessed July 12, 2009.
- Shapiro R. Overview of the surgery of deceased donor renal transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 13, 2009.
- OPTN/SRTR annual report: Adjusted graft survival by year of transplant at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years, living donor kidney transplants. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/509c_ki.htm. Accessed July 14, 2009.
- OPTN/SRTR annual report: Adjusted graft survival by year of transplant at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years, deceased donor non-ECD kidney transplants. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/509a_ki.htm. Accessed July 14, 2009.
