Kidney Transplant

An LDKT recipient may face complications including:

• If your body does not recognise the new kidney, the immune system may attack it instead, leading to acute rejection.
• The use of immunosuppressants may lead to decreased immunity from other diseases. There may also be side effects from the medication, such as new-onset diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Recipients also face an increased risk of developing cancers, especially certain virus-associated cancers.
• Risks during surgery include blood clotting, bleeding or infection.

For Singaporean patients, you can reach out to our Transplant and Cellular Therapy (TACT) executive office at sg.tact.executiveoffice@ihhhealthcare.com for more information.

For international patients, please contact our international offices where our representatives will be able to advise you on all transplant-related enquiries.

Once you have found a compatible living kidney donor, you will both undergo a pre-transplant evaluation by the transplant team. You will need to be psychologically prepared and mentally fit for a LDKT. In the meantime, you will should continue with your dialysis (if you are already on dialysis) until your surgery date. You may need to modify your lifestyle (e.g. quit smoking, eat healthily and exercise) or take medication to ensure optimal health for the transplant.

Learn about how to prepare for a living donor kidney transplant.

You will need to undergo robust testing to give yourself the best chance of a successful transplant. These tests include:

• Blood type and cross-match to ensure compatibility with the donor. If your living kidney donor’s blood type is not compatible, you could still have a blood-group incompatible LDKT, but it carries a higher risk of rejection.
• HLA Antibody screening
• Tissue typing
• Chest X-rays, electrocardiography (ECG) and other heart scans
• A comprehensive physical examination
• A mental health assessment

Only one donated kidney is required to replace both the recipient’s failed kidneys. The diseased kidneys are not usually removed in a LDKT.

A kidney transplant can take between 3 – 4 hours. During this time, the surgeon will implant the donated kidney through an incision in your lower abdomen.

Blood vessels and the urine tube from the donor kidney will need to be connected. Once these are joined and working well, the incision will be closed.

After the procedure, you can expect to:

• Stay in the hospital for around 10 days for monitoring and to continue receiving care from your transplant team.
• Recuperate at home for several weeks, with 2 – 3 appointments with your doctor a week in the first month. Your new kidney’s health will be monitored closely through regular clinical reviews, which will decrease in frequency over time.
• Be vulnerable to infections, especially in the first few months. You will need to take extra care when meeting people, avoid eating raw foods, and get prompt treatment at the first sign of infection.

In just about a month after your transplant, you will be enjoying an improved quality of life. While you will need to take immunosuppressant medications for the rest of your life (to prevent your body rejecting the new kidney), you can and should take regular exercise and follow a wholesome diet to get in top form.

Female patients may find that their menstrual period becomes more regular. While this means that you have a higher chance of getting pregnant, it is recommended that you wait a year after your transplant to do so. Do keep your transplant doctor informed should you plan to have a child, for a better prospect of a safe and successful pregnancy.

Learn more about living donor kidney transplants.

You can lead a normal life with one kidney. Your general health, energy and longevity will not be affected adversely. In fact, most kidney donors live as long as or longer than the average person.

However, there are potential risks for donors in an LDKT.

• The risk of death is 3 – 5 in 1,000 living donors.
• There is a chance of premature kidney failure, around 0.3% after 15 years.
• You have an increased risk of hypertension and/or having protein in your urine later in life.
• Female donors have a slightly increased risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Your health checks, laboratory tests, donation operation and follow-up medical visits can be reimbursed under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA). If you are self-employed or a daily-wage worker, you are also eligible for limited compensation for your loss of earnings.

Once a compatible recipient has been identified, you will both undergo a rigorous assessment of your psychosocial and physical suitability. You may need to take medication to ensure optimal health for the transplant. Medical tests include blood and urine tests.

A kidney transplant can take between 3 – 4 hours, during which one of your kidneys will be removed for immediate implantation. This may be through open surgery, via a 12 – 18cm incision on your abdomen, or through minimally invasive laparoscopic key-hole surgery, involving 2 or 3 incisions about 1 cm long and another 6 cm incision in the lower abdomen.

After the surgery, you will be monitored and taken care of in the hospital for 5 – 7 days.

In the early recovery period you may experience some pain and discomfort, which can be controlled with pain medications. You will have to use a urinary catheter for several days.

You may resume your usual activities after 6 – 8 weeks. Monitoring of your kidney health will continue with an annual urine and blood tests.