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Adult Kidney Transplant

Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys cannot perform their normal tasks. Kidney failure can happen slowly over time or very quickly (called acute renal failure). In some cases, acute renal failure is reversible. When kidney function is less than 10 per cent, the kidneys cannot remove excess water, salt, or wastes, and the body's tissues begin to swell. When wastes accumulate in the blood, people become seriously ill. Blood pressure starts to rise and, without medical help, kidney failure is life threatening.

The most common diseases leading to kidney failure include:

• glomerulonephritis
• diabetes
• polycystic kidney disease
• drug-induced kidney failure
• pyelonephritis
• urinary tract obstruction
• high blood pressure

Treatment for Kidney Failure

When kidney failure occurs, patients have some treatment options including dialysis at a hospital, dialysis at home, or kidney transplantation. Dialysis is a mechanical filtering process that cleanses the blood of waste products, removes excess fluids, and regulates body chemistry when the kidneys are not functioning properly. A successful kidney transplant is the preferred treatment for suitable patients with advanced kidney disease. There are two types of kidney transplants – a living donor transplant or a deceased donor transplant, which uses a kidney from a person who has died suddenly. Most kidneys come from deceased donors although the ideal donor is a living donor because of the short time between retrieval and transplant.

LHSC provides a regional program in kidney transplantation, serving a population of 1.7 million. The region extends from Sault St. Marie and Sudbury to Windsor and as far east as Kitchener, Ontario. Aproximately 70 kidney transplants are performed each year at the University Hospital, LHSC, of which 15-20 transplants use living donors. A pediatric program is available but is based on patient size, as infants are treated in Toronto. More than adult 1,300 kidney transplants have been performed at LHSC since the program began in 1973. Outpatients account for approximately 3,000 visits per year, following more than 800 recipients.

You can find out more about the transplant assessment process at LHSC for kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation.

The Kidney Transplant Operation

Transplant surgery usually takes three to four hours. The patient's own (native) kidneys are usually left in. Typically, they have become smaller in size which allows room for the new kidney. The new kidney is placed in the lower abdomen where its artery and vein are connected to an artery and vein in the recipient. The ureter from the kidney is inserted into the recipient's bladder. The recipient remains in hospital for seven or eight days. Education is given about the anti-rejection medications the patient will need to take for the life of the kidney to prevent rejection and how to care for their new kidney.

Dr. Luke in the O.R.

Quality of life

A successful kidney transplant results in improved health and freedom from dialysis, but transplantation is a treatment option and not a cure for kidney failure. Of the available treatment options, transplantation offers the best opportunity to be rehabilitated and to lead a normal lifestyle. The longest-surviving kidney transplant recipients worldwide are well 40 years after receiving a living-related kidney and 34 years after receiving a deceased kidney transplant. However, the average life of a transplant kidney from a living donor is 12-18 years and from a deceased donor 8-12 years.

Patient Handbook

Click here to read a more detailed handbook about the kidney transplant program.

Contact Information

Recipient Coordinators: Mary Anne Henry: 519.663.3851 and Jennifer Cross 519.685.8500 ext 35932