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Preparation
To begin the transplant approval process, patients will undergo a variety of diagnostic tests and physical examinations. Patients will also be required to learn more about the transplant procedure and what will be required to maintain the transplanted kidney and/or pancreas.
Patients who are approved for a transplant will then be put on a waiting list. Patients must stay within six hours of the hospital, so they can be ready at a moment's notice to receive their donor organ(s). Patients who are receiving a kidney from a friend or family member will be able to schedule the transplant procedure.
Procedure
The transplant organ must be tested before the transplant operation can begin. This test is to help make certain that the organ matches its recipient, and will not be rejected by the recipient's body during the operation.
The transplant surgery can take between three to six hours, on average. During the transplant surgery, the new organ will be placed into the patient's body. The patient's own kidneys and/or pancreas will usually not be removed. The new kidney will be attached to the appropriate arteries, veins and to the ureter, the tube that carries urine to the bladder.
Recovery
After the transplant surgery, patients will stay in the hospital for five to nine days. The new kidney should start producing urine during that time. In some cases, dialysis is needed until the kidney begins working on its own.
Most patients will take immunosuppressive (anti-rejection) drugs for the rest of their lives. These drugs help the body accept, and not reject, the new organ. Patients will also need to keep follow-up appointments with their doctors for the rest of their lives.
