Kidney transplantation is a chance to get a new life for those who are suffering from kidney failure. Kidney transplant is a procedure in which a new kidney is replaced with an older kidney in your body. This process is a life-changing process and gives a new hope for living a healthy life. The maximum life after kidney transplant and how much a person can live after it, depends upon the age and health of the person who is getting a kidney transplant. In this blog, we will let you know the maximum life expectancy after kidney transplant, the benefits, the cause, and why it is necessary, etc.
What is a Kidney Transplant?
A kidney transplant is a surgery of replacement of a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney. This transplant is done for those patients who are in the end stage of kidney disease. The new kidney is placed in the lower abdomen of the body, and the old one remains at the same place.
In this transplantation, doctors do not remove the older kidney, they only attach a new kidney, the older one stays in place. The surgeon creates a new place for the new kidney in the lower abdomen near the groin area, and connects the blood vessels (renal artery and renal vein) of the new kidney with the existing blood vessels. The surgeon also connects the tube that carries urine with the gall bladder so that the kidney can produce urine and pass it. Removal of the older kidney is exceptional, they remove the older kidney only if there are some complications, such as infections, tumors, hypertension, and PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease).
Benefits of Kidney Transplant
A kidney transplant can improve a person’s life in such ways. Below we will discuss the benefits of a kidney transplant and get maximum life after kidney transplant.
- Improve Life Quality: Kidney transplant helps patients to live a normal life, improve their energy level. It helps those patients who are suffering from kidney dialysis so that they can live a normal life. This is an important process to achieve maximum life after kidney transplant.
- Better Kidney Function: Kidney transplantation is the only process to get a healthy kidney. It increases maximum life after kidney transplant, because it functions normally after the transplantation.
- No Need for Dialysis: If the patient has done kidney transplant so there is no need for dialysis, either it is hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Kidney transplant reduces the need for dialysis, which means the patient can live a longer life.
- Minimum Complications: A kidney transplantation reduces the risk of complications such as anemia and bone disease. Kidney failure can also cause heat problems, weak bones, and a lack of minerals in the body.
- Mental Health: Freedom from regular dialysis can improve the mental health of the patient and be stress-free. If a person is mentally healthy and well, it supports living for maximum life after kidney transplant. After a transplant, many patients are motivated to focus on other things.
- More Energetic: Kidney disease and dialysis is the main reason for weakness, anemia, and lack of energy in the body. Kidney transplant helps to restore red blood cells and improve their production, which improves energy and stamina.
Factors Affecting Maximum Life After Kidney Transplant
Yes, the patient can live longer after kidney transplant. Maximum life after kidney transplant depends upon some factors.
Health and Age of Patient
The health of the patient before the transplant and after the transplant plays an important role. Chronic conditions such as hypertension, heart-related disease, diabetes, and obesity. With these problems, we can not expect maximum life after kidney transplant because these can reduce life. Younger patients have better outcomes after kidney transplant compared to older patients. But many older patients live a maximum life after kidney transplant.
Kidney Quality
Maximum life after kidney transplant also depends on the kidney that is replaced with the current one. The donor’s health is also a main factor, age, health, and history of the donor also impact the life of the patient.
Immunosuppressive Medications
After the kidney transplant, patients need immunosuppressive medications so that the body of the patient can accept the new kidney and prevent rejection of the organ. Regular medicine and checkups, and post-transplant instruction are important to get well. The patient can not follow discipline and rules, which can lead to rejection of the transplanted kidney.
Kidney Function After Transplant
Acute or chronic rejection by the body means the immune system attacks a new kidney which is transplanted. It can damage the organ and decrease life expectancy. After the transplantation, there is a chance of infection, especially those caused by immunosuppressive drugs. It complicates the recovery and maximum life after kidney transplant.
Comorbidities
Some conditions can negatively affect the life expectancy after a transplant. These conditions are heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. In some cases, it is the cause of immunosuppressive therapy. The presence of multiple chronic conditions can also reduce the overall life expectancy.
Maximum Life After Kidney Transplant Statistics
Here are the life expectancies after transplant, but this totally depends upon many factors, so below are the statistical data.
- 1 Year Survival: Maximum patients approximately 95% to 98% survive after the first year of the surgery.
- 5 Year Survival: Approximately 80 to 90% people can live after 5 years of the kidney transplant.
- 10 Year Survival: Some patients can live for 10 years after a kidney transplant approximately 70%. Besides 50-60% transplants.
- 15 Year of Survival: The Rate of survival of a person after Kidney transplant drops around 40-50%. This is personally dependent upon individual health and transplant care.
- 20 Year Survival: The Percentage of those patients who survive more than 20 years after a kidney transplant has decreased from 25% to 15%
Key Points to Achieve Maximum Life After Kidney Transplant
Taking a healthy diet and adequate nutrition after kidney transplant is very important to prevent complications. After a transplant, your body needs proper nutrition to recover, heal, and prevent infections. The body needs nutrition to handle immunosuppressive medications.
- Patients must have to eat a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
- Avoid processed foods to control blood pressure and limit salt to reduce kidney stress.
- Stay hydrated and follow the doctor’s recommendations to avoid dehydration and prefer fluids.
- The patient must avoid high potassium and high phosphorus after the kidney transplant.
- Maintain your weight and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Role of Exercise For Longer Life After Kidney Transplant
Regular exercise and physical activity helps to improve the chances of success of kidney transplant. It can control weight, improves heart health, and muscle strength, which is important after a transplant.
- Start with slow physical activity and increase your activity when your body recovers.
- Initially, target moderate exercise after recovery, such as walking for 30 minutes.
- Do stretching and flexible exercise, which helps muscle and joint health.
- Stay disciplined and consistent with regular exercise, which helps patients to improve immunity, energy, and maximum life after kidney transplant.
- Avoid those activities in which there is a risk of falls and injuries. Stay away from high-impact exercise and contact with sports.
Conclusion
kidney transplant offers a chance to achieve a healthier and longer life. The maximum life after kidney transplant depends upon some factors such as age, quality of donor kidney and more. If you follow proper diet and nutrition and exercise you may live 10-20 years.