Kidney Transplant Program After Your Transplant

The kidney transplant recipient is the most important member of the health care team after transplant. The transplant patient is responsible to take the medications as prescribed, keep clinic visits and blood draw appointments, and report any signs and symptoms of complications after surgery.

Anti-Rejection Medications (Immunosuppression)
To prevent your body from rejecting your new kidney, you must take anti-rejection medications (immunosuppressive medications) for as long as you have the transplanted organ (See Kidney Transplant Medications section).

Possible Complications
A person can go through the transplant experience without any problems, but there is the possibility that complications may arise. Types of possible complications are:

• Rejection is simply your immune system reacting against the transplanted kidney despite the anti-rejection drugs. The signs and symptoms of rejection are learned during the hospitalization period. These signs are: decreased urine output, increased blood pressure, sudden weight gain, tenderness of the kidney, "flu-like" symptoms, and fever. Early detection and treatment offer the best possibility of reversing rejection and maintaining kidney function. Often, all that is required is an increase in anti-rejection medications for a short period of time to reverse the rejection episode, although there are rare occasions that the process cannot be reversed.
• Infection is a serious complication of a kidney transplant. Because of anti-rejection drugs, kidney transplant patients have a higher risk of infection and these infections can be harder to treat. After transplant, medications will be taken to help prevent infections. Education is once again the key to fighting this complication. By learning to recognize the signs and symptoms of infection, notification can be given to the nephrologist as soon as possible to treat it.
• Surgical Complications - Although most transplant surgeries heal well, at times complications can develop that can only be corrected by another surgery. Problems involving blood vessels or ureter can arise, and difficulties with wound healing can also occur.
• Increased Risk of Cancer - The risk of developing cancer is slightly higher for transplant recipients than it is for the general population. This increased risk is a result of the effect anti-rejection medications may have on the immune system. Skin cancers and cancer of the lymph system are the most common malignancies seen in transplant patients.

RESULTS
Between 85-95% of kidney transplants are still functioning after one year. See the survivor charts for additional information. If your transplant fails, dialysis will be available to you. You and your physician may decide a second transplant is a good option for you. Some people have received three transplants.

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