The actual renal transplant procedure is as follows: An incision is made in the lower portion of the abdomen on one side and the kidney is placed inside. The failed kidneys are not removed unless they cause complications like pain, infections, kidney stones, or hypertension. They are left in place.

The human body is incomplete without the two bean-shaped organs, called kidneys, which are responsible for filtering blood. Situated behind our belly, below our ribs, on both sides of our spine, each kidney is roughly the size of a fist.

In some cases when kidneys drop their filtering capacity, injurious levels of waste and fluid gather in the patient’s body, which accelerates his or her blood pressure and leads to kidney failure, wherein kidneys lose approximately ninety percent of their capacity to function normally.

The kidneys can fail due to many reasons and the condition requires an immediate transplant from a living or deceased donor if the doctor thinks that dialysis may not be the ideal solution for the patient. For a comprehensive guide on the procedure of kidney transplantation, keep reading!

The human body is incomplete without the two bean-shaped organs, called kidneys, which are responsible for filtering blood. Situated behind our belly, below our ribs, on both sides of our spine, each kidney is roughly the size of a fist. In some cases when kidneys drop their filtering capacity, injurious levels of waste and fluid gather in the patient’s body, which accelerates his or her blood pressure and leads to kidney failure, wherein kidneys lose approximately ninety percent of their capacity to function normally. The kidneys can fail due to many reasons and the condition requires an immediate transplant from a living or deceased donor if the doctor thinks that dialysis may not be the ideal solution for the patient. For a comprehensive guide on the procedure of kidney transplantation, keep reading!

Procedure for a kidney transplant

A patient on dialysis is generally expected to live for almost five years, while his or her chances to live longer increase manifolds on receiving a successful kidney transplant. The average life expectancy of the patient post-kidney transplantation typically depends on the type of donor involved. In cases where a living donor is involved, the functions of the transplanted kidney last up to twelve to twenty years, whereas if the procedure involves a deceased donor, the life of the transplanted kidney can range from around eight to twelve years. Kidney transplant implies a surgical procedure, wherein a healthy kidney from a deceased or living donor is placed into the body of a patient, whose kidneys are not functioning properly.

Performed under general anesthesia, this complex heterotopic transplant surgery is meticulously completed within two to four hours. It involves placing the kidney in a different location than the already existing kidneys, in the lower abdomen’s front or anterior part, in the pelvis. The original kidneys are not detached, except in situations they are causing severe difficulties including overpowering high blood pressure, recurrent kidney contaminations, or severe enlargement.

The artery transporting blood to the kidney and the vein transporting blood away is joined surgically to the artery and vein previously existing in the recipient’s pelvis. The tube or ureter responsible for carrying urine away from the kidney is also joined to the patient’s bladder. After spending almost two days in the ICU, it usually takes around five to ten days for a patient to stay in the hospital and recover from a kidney transplantation surgery, provided there are no complications.

Benefits of availing of Kidney Transplantation in India

In the past few years, numerous medical tourists are preferring to travel to India for kidney transplantation procedures. Although the average fee of a kidney transplant in India is the biggest reason behind making India one of the most-preferred medical hubs across the globe, there are other prominent reasons as well. If you are also looking out for the most sought-after destination in the world for kidney transplantation, the following are the reasons why India can be it:

• Cost-effectiveness

The total fee of a kidney transplant in India is one of the lowest internationally, especially when compared to several first-world countries like US, UK, and Germany. On a rough estimate, a medical tourist coming to India for a kidney transplant can save up to at least thirty to forty percent of the amount paid elsewhere. While the laparoscopic kidney transplant price in India starts from USD 13,500, a patient has to pay around USD 3,00,000 in the US for the same procedure. Similarly, the open nephrectomy cost in India starts from USD 6,500, whereas it is about USD 4,00,000 in the US.

• High success rate

The assurance of high success rates of kidney transplant surgery in India is another factor that attracts medical travelers from across the world to the country.