Conditions That Constitute a Definite Barrier to Kidney Transplantation
Conditions That Constitute a Definite Barrier to Kidney Transplantation
- Cancer disease
- Active infections
- Active hepatitis (jaundice) or cirrhosis
- Serious vascular diseases
- Active intravenous drug addiction
- Recent heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Severe and unexpected heart, lung and liver failure
In addition, although it does not constitute a definite obstacle, both surgical and medical problems may be encountered in extremely thin or obese patients and smokers after kidney transplantation.
Source of the Kidney to be Transplanted
In kidney transplantation, a living donor or a brain-dead donor (cadaver donor) is used in the intensive care unit. Adult individuals who have up to fourth degree relatives of the patient and have no health problems can be living donors.When a cadaver is available, the Ministry of Health determines which hospital the kidney will be donated to and sends an ordered list of the five most suitable patients for this transplant to the hospital.
What is the National Kidney Waiting List?
It is the system prepared by the Ministry of Health for patients who do not have a living donor, in which organs are distributed from people who have brain death and whose family has approved for organ donation. Since each transplant center registers its patients in this system on behalf of its own center, you can only be registered in a single transplant center. Due to the low number of organ donations in our country, the waiting period can last for many years.The same procedures are applied to patients who are prepared for live transplantation before enrolling in the national waiting list. Patients who are not found to have an obstacle for transplantation are registered on the national waiting list, and some of these examinations are renewed at 6-month intervals until the kidney comes out after registration.
What Kind of Path Is Followed When Kidneys Come Out from a Cadaver?
If your name is on the list from the Ministry of Health, you will be called by the transport coordinator and called to the hospital. For this reason, it is important that you provide the contact information of your relatives who can reach you at the first application, and that your phone number is up-to-date and open in terms of accessibility. If you are called to the hospital, you should not eat or drink anything after the call time. You should come to the hospital as soon as possible. When you come to the hospital, your necessary examinations will be done, if you did not undergo dialysis that day, dialysis will be applied.If the decision is made to implant the kidney from the cadaver; You will be hospitalized and your surgical preparations will be completed and you will be taken to kidney transplant surgery.
Kidney Donor Selection
Anyone over the age of 18, who is mentally stable and does not have a health problem that prevents donating a kidney can be a kidney donor. These people are expected to understand the purpose of kidney transplantation and to give consent by being informed about the operation, and if they are married, they are expected to give consent for their spouses to be kidney donors.According to organ transplant laws; relatives up to the fourth degree can be kidney donors. If there is more than fourth degree relatedness between the recipient and the donor or if there is no kinship, it is necessary to apply to the Organ Transplant Ethics Committees in the Provincial Health Directorates and obtain eligibility for transplantation.
If, as a result of the necessary examinations, it is predicted that the operation will bring the least negativity to the kidney donor, this person will not be accepted as a donor.