Kidney Transplantation Complications and how to deal with them

After the first kidney transplantation done in 1953 by Jean Hamburger in Paris, the number of kidney transplantations has increased sharply over the last few decades and it has as well become a treatment modality for End-Stage Renal or Kidney Disease. As of 2020, approximately 23,401 kidney transplantation was done in the US alone in that year and the number is growing each year. However, like any medical procedure, this too can involve certain complications. In this post, we will go through the complications of kidney transplantation and what can be done to deal with them.

Kidney Transplantation Complications

Several complications can occur after kidney transplantation over time. Apart from immediate surgical risks, that are applicable to any surgery like hemorrhage, scar infections, and others, some important ones that are worth mentioning include:

• Graft or Kidney Rejection: One of the most dreaded complications is the rejection of the transplanted kidney by the recipient. Here the immune system of the recipient identifies the transplanted kidney as “foreign” and starts attacking it, leading to its damage. Often the first sign of it could be a rise of creatinine level in blood or a decrease in urine production.
• Infections: As after kidney transplantation people are put on drugs that suppress the immune system, they often become vulnerable to multiple infections. Bacterial infections usually occur within one month of transplantation. Other common infections that may occur include CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection, Pneumocystis jirovecci infection, and fungal infections.
• Cardiac problems: Higher rate of heart attacks or myocardial infarction has been noted in people who received renal transplants. However, this could be due to the fact, that there are an increasing number of diabetics and the elderly getting kidney transplant and both are risk factors for heart attack or myocardial infarction.
• Cancer: Skin cancer, as well as lymphomas, has been reported in kidney transplant patients, one probable cause could be the immunosuppressant drugs that the patient must take.
• Anemia: Probably due to decreased production of the hormone called Erythropoietin by the kidney, which is required for blood formation.
• Hepatitis: Often might occur due to hepatitis B infection.

Dealing with Kidney Transplantation Complications

Although there are multiple complications after renal transplantation, scientists have developed ways to deal with them, like

• Bumping up the dose of immunosuppressive drugs for treating rejections
• Antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent infections
• Tight control of diabetes and hypertension to prevent cardiac issues
• Erythropoietin injections and blood transfusions to treat anemia
• Vaccination to prevent hepatitis infection

Concluding, albeit there are risks associated with kidney transplantation, but the increased life expectancy kidney transplantation provides outweighs the risks by many folds.

Know anyone who suffered from such complications? Share your experience in comments and let others know about it.