Nephrology & Renal Care

Kidney Transplantation

A kidney transplant is life extending surgical procedure to treat end-stage renal disease. When kidney function declines to a certain level, patients have End-stage renal disease and require either dialysis or transplantation to sustain their life. End-stage renal disease occurs when the kidneys have lost about 90 percent of their ability to function normally. HLA and ABO incompatible transplantations conduct in end-stage kidney disease individuals. Anti-rejection medications, also known as Immunosuppressive agents are necessary for the "lifetime" of the transplant. If these medications are stopped, rejection may occur and the kidney transplant will fail. Contraindications include both cardiac and pulmonary insufficiency, as well as hepatic disease and some cancers. Kidney-pancreas transplant is done in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 in whom the diabetes is due to the destruction of the beta cells and in whom the diabetes has caused renal failure. The drugs used in kidney transplant  varies according to the drug therapy. Kidney transplant recipients are discouraged from consuming grapefruit, pomegranate and green tea products. These food products are known to interact with the transplant medications, specifically tacrolimus, cyclosporine and sirolimus; the blood levels of these drugs may be increased, potentially leading to an overdose