Kidney Transplant
A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that involves the placement of a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor into a person whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located just below the rib cage on each side of the spine. Each one is roughly the size of a fist. Their primary function is to produce urine, which filters and removes waste, minerals, and fluid from the blood.
When your kidneys lose their ability to filter, harmful levels of fluid and waste accumulate in your body, raising your blood pressure and leading to kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease). The end-stage renal disease occurs when the kidneys have lost approximately 90% of their normal function.
End-stage kidney disease is caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Diabetes
- Chronic, uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Chronic glomerulonephritis — an inflammation and eventual scarring of the tiny filters within your kidneys (glomeruli)
- Polycystic kidney disease
To survive, people with end-stage renal disease must have waste removed from their bloodstream using a machine (dialysis) or a kidney transplant.
A kidney transplant is a surgery that replaces a kidney (or both) from a living or deceased donor in a patient suffering from chronic renal disease. The kidneys are a natural filter in the human body that removes waste substances from the blood. When they lose this ability due to some pathologies, it indicates that the patient is suffering from kidney failure.
Dialysis or a kidney transplant are the only two options for treating kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease. Because it is possible to live with only one kidney, one healthy kidney will be sufficient to replace both failed kidneys and ensure the patient's healthy recovery. The transplanted kidney could come from either a living or a deceased donor. Patients with kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease should take this medication. It is among the most expensive medical procedures at $400,000.
Cost: $400,000
