Kidney transplantation is a surgical procedure which involves transferring kidney from a living or deceased donor into the recipient. In most cases, the recipient’s own kidneys are left in place. Whenever possible, a living kidney donor is preferred because success rates are generally higher. The living donor must be willing, able to give informed consent and is medically and psychologically suitable to donate one of his or her own kidney. The living donor does not need to be genetically related to the potential recipient.
As a kidney that is transplanted is recognized as foreign by the body, the body’s immune system, which can reject the kidney, must be kept in check by power drugs called immunosuppressants.
Transplant patients must continue these drugs for life, as these drugs suppressed the rejection process and successfully protect the kidney. This is however comes with a price as these drugs also lower the patient’s resistance to infection.
Patients are at an increased risk of getting infection. For more information about the Kidney Transplant programme, please contact:
SingHealth Transplant Tel: +65 6326 6368 Fax: +65 6220 0730 Email: [email protected]Website: www.singhealth.com.sg/transplant
