Surgery
On the day of the transplant surgery, two operating rooms are scheduled. The donor is taken to one and the kidney recipient to the other. Two teams of doctors are used, one for the donor surgery and one for the transplant surgery. The kidney is removed from the donor and transplanted immediately into the recipient. Each operation usually takes about 2 to 4 hours. After the operation, the donor is taken to the recovery room until he/she awakens from the anesthetic. After recovery from anesthesia, they are moved to a hospital room on the Transplant Unit. The donor can usually plan to be in the hospital for 3 to 4 days after the operation. The first few days after the surgery, the donor will experience pain in the incision. Pain medication will be provided for relief. As the healing process takes place over the next several weeks, the degree of pain will decrease.
After Surgery
A foley catheter, a tube into the bladder, will be in place for a short while to monitor the function of the remaining kidney. Urine draining through the catheter may be bloody. The folly catheter is removed the day following surgery. Upon awakening after the surgery, the donor will have an intravenous (IV) line until able to eat and drink an adequate amount of fluid. Routine post-operative care will include:
Discharge from Hospital
After about 3 - 4 days, the donor can be discharged from the hospital for further recuperation at home. A post-operative visit to the clinic is usually scheduled for 1 - 2 weeks after discharge. Three to four weeks after surgery, most donors will be able to return to light work and by six weeks, return to normal activities.
Surgical Risk
Surgery for kidney donation is not without the possibility of risk or complications. These are rare but include the possibility of wound infection or reaction to the anesthetic. An occasional rare death due to complications has been reported.
