Kidney Transplantation
Kidney transplantation is the transfer of a healthy kidney from one individual (donor) to another (recipient) through a specialized surgery. It is one of the best treatment options for patients with kidney failure.
The first successful transplant was a kidney transplantation performed between identical twins by Dr. Joseph Murray and his colleagues. A number of advances such as the development of immunosuppressive agents (drugs that suppress the immune system) and improvement in the surgical techniques have resulted in a notable increase in the quality of life of the patients who have received renal transplants and a reduction in the associated mortality and morbidity over the past 10 years.
Causes of Renal failure
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Chronic glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the microscopic structure of the kidney)
- Polycystic kidney disease (hereditary kidney disease in which the entire kidney is filled with cysts)
- Acquired diseases of the genitourinary system (stone formation in the kidney or the bladder, enlargement of the prostate gland)
- Congenital anomalies related to the urinary system
