In the life of end-stage renal disease patients, they are pushed down to only two options. Either they should have kidney transplant surgery or they have to go through a specific type of dialysis till the end of their life.
A kidney transplant is a one-time surgical treatment whereas dialysis is the systematic treatment throughout the patient’s life in order to keep them alive. So, here you will know which treatment will be the best for chronic kidney disease patients:
Kidney Transplant Surgery
In the transplantation process, you will be screened completely, and you will be given a complete test of your blood. It is to check for the levels of minerals and toxin levels in your blood.
Then to wait for years for a deceased donor, it is better to identify a healthy person close to you. You must know that the donor is willing to donate one of their own kidneys.
The donor chooses to have a surgeon remove one of their kidneys and transplant it into a waiting recipient in a living donation. The Living donor kidney is usually of much higher quality than the kidneys from lifeless donors. They are the benchmark in kidney transplant surgery.
For achieving greater health, a donation from a friend or relative could be your possibility when you are waiting for a kidney transplant. The living donor kidneys will start to work before your transplant surgery and are even faster compared to kidneys received from lifeless donors.
A kidney from an existing donor may help prevent your need to return to the dialysis process again. And you may be able to stop it immediately if you are already on dialysis. These kidneys usually last much longer than kidneys received from defunct donors.
The Complication in Kidney Transplant Surgery
These professionals help you to result in surgeries that have a very low rate of complications. More than Eighty-five percent of patients are discharged from the hospital within three days after transplantation surgery.
You can expect to stay for one more week at a local hotel just to be on the safer side if your surgery goes as planned and your new kidney is working.
You will be monitored closely for infection and organ rejection to ensure that your body accepts the new kidney during this time. As you get to your follow-up appointments and take your medications, a caregiver’s support is crucial during this time.
For a kidney transplant patient, over ninety percent of patients spend around ten days overall. The patient’s three days are spent on the immediate transplant surgery and seven days spent in a local hotel. The patients that are required to stay in town longer for closer management might be only ten percent.
The Peritoneal Dialysis
A surgical operation is required to enclose the catheter into the peritoneal cavity, where the peritoneal dialysis uses a soft tube called a catheter. The catheter will be about 0.5 cm wide, and it remains in your body. This will be until the doctor says that no dialysis is no longer needed.
You will be connected to a bag containing a fluid, and one end of the catheter sticks a few centimeters out of your body. This catheter allows the fluid to pass in and leave inside your peritoneal cavity.
The waste and extra fluid move along with your blood into the bag fluid, and then it is drained from the body. The used fluid is replaced by fresh fluid each time. This cycle is called an exchange in peritoneal dialysis. However, the number of exchanges differs from one person to another according to their body capability.
Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD)
In this procedure, four exchanges are usually done each day. And each exchange includes connecting a new bag of fluid. Finally, draining out the old fluid and putting the new fluid in is one of the procedures.
It takes around thirty minutes and can be done almost anywhere. However, it should be done with a few sensible precautions. The person is free to go about their daily activities in between these exchanges.
Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD)
The patient in APD will be asked to do it every night, which usually takes between eight to solid ten hours. A machine called a cycler does the same exchanges as peritoneal dialysis. The catheter is attached to the tubing of the cycler in the device each time.
By moving the dialysate in and out of the body while the person is asleep, it does several exchange cycles. The dialysate is usually left in the body so that dialysis continues without any interruption during the day.
Kidney Transplant as an Option
Although it is an efficient version, not everybody is suitable for a transplant. And other medical problems make dialysis or supportive care better treatment options in comparison to transplant surgery.
The suitability of a transplant patient will be denied if the agreement with the idea of transplantation and acceptance of the risks are not involved. If the patient does not have general physical health, apart from kidney failure transplant will be denied.
And if the patient is not willing to go through with the tests and operation, it will be rejected. Also, if the patient is not ready to take lifelong anti-rejection medication, they will be denied.
Final Verdict
The final option for a patient with no hope is supportive care that the person’s care lasts to be overseen and maintained by the health professionals. But then, supportive care will not exaggeratedly prolong a life when your kidneys fail completely. The lifespan with kidney failure, with or without dialysis, is very similar for many who are already weak.
The kidney transplant surgery cost in India is lower than in various other developed countries like USA and UK, therefore you can go for the surgery in India and save at least up to 50% of the cost.
So as both depend on the body condition of a patient as both have their bans and boons, it is wise to consult your nephrology team for advice. As they will suggest to you the best option that may suit you well and improve your quality of life.
