Kidney Transplant
What is a Kidney Transplant?
A kidney transplant is a surgery to replace a sick kidney with a healthy one from another person. This person can be a family member (living donor) or someone who has passed away (deceased donor). It’s for people whose kidneys don’t work well anymore, called end-stage kidney disease. This surgery helps you feel better and live longer than using a dialysis machine, which you might know about from a special arm tube (AV fistula). In India, kidney transplants are performed in specialized nephrology or transplant surgery departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs is essential for patients.
Why Do You Need a Kidney Transplant?
You might need a new kidney if:
- Your kidneys are very sick: This happens because of diabetes (40–50% of cases), high blood pressure (20–30%), or other kidney problems. You might feel very tired, have puffy hands or legs, feel sick to your stomach, or need dialysis often.
- Dialysis isn’t helping enough: About 20–30% of people on dialysis get infections or feel bad, so a new kidney is better.
- Before you start dialysis: Getting a transplant early can work better (10–15% of cases).
In India, about 150–200 out of a million people have sick kidneys, and around 70,000–80,000 need a transplant each year.
Types of Kidney Transplants
- Living donor: A family member or someone who wants to help gives you their kidney. This is the most common in India (60–70% of cases).
- Deceased donor: The kidney comes from someone who has died, usually after brain death. This is less common (30–40%), and you might wait 1–3 years.
- Associated treatments:
- Before surgery : Dialysis to stabilize, tissue typing (HLA matching), crossmatch to prevent rejection of transplanted Kidney.
- After surgery : Immunosuppressants (e.g., tacrolimus, mycophenolate), infection prophylaxis.
- Timing:
- Performed in adults and children (average age 20–60 years); scheduled once donor available; urgent if pre-emptive.
The procedure aims to restore kidney function, eliminate dialysis need, and improve survival, with high success rates when paired with proper After surgery care.
Why Do Kidney Transplant Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh :
- Donor Type: Living donor (₹5–10 lakh); deceased donor (₹8–15 lakh, includes organ retrieval costs).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in private hospitals (Apollo, Fortis: ₹8–15 lakh); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS: ₹3–5 lakh, often subsidized under Ayushman Bharat).
- Additional Costs: Immunosuppressants (₹1–2 lakh/year lifelong), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹15,000/day), pre-op tests (₹50,000–₹1 lakh), medications (₹20,000–₹50,000).
- Insurance: Often covered (medical necessity); confirm with your provider.
Kidney Transplant Procedure
Before the Surgery
Tests: Doctors check if the new kidney will work for you with blood and tissue tests to make sure your body won’t fight it. They also check your heart (with an ECG or other tests), liver, kidneys, and do scans like a CT or ultrasound to see inside your body.
Assessment:
- HLA typing: Matches donor to recipient (better match reduces rejection risk).
- Blood tests: Crossmatch (to rule out antibodies), liver/kidney function, infection screening (e.g., CMV, hepatitis).
- Imaging: CT/Ultrasound to assess recipient’s anatomy; cardiac evaluation (ECG, stress test).
Getting ready: You might need dialysis to stay healthy. You’ll stop medicines that thin your blood, not eat for 6–8 hours, and sign a form after learning about risks, like your body not liking the new kidney.
Where it happens: The surgery is done at hospitals with special kidney or transplant teams, like Super speciality Hospitals equipped with advanced care and transplant teams.
During the Surgery
What happens: The surgery takes 3–4 hours, and you’ll be asleep so you don’t feel anything.
Donor’s part: For a living donor, doctors take their kidney out with a small cut (takes 2–3 hours). They often pick the left kidney because it’s easier to use.
Your part: Doctors make a Incision(10–15 cm long) in your lower belly, usually on the right side, and put the new kidney in. They connect the kidney’s Donor renal artery and vein connected to recipient’s iliac artery and vein (end-to-side). and its urine tube (ureter) to your bladder. A small tube (stent) helps pee flow right (taken out after 4–6 weeks).
Tools used: Doctors use a tool to check blood flow (Doppler), Vascular clips to hold blood tubes, and a Ureteral stent to stop urine leaks.
After surgery: They close the cut with stitches and put in a tube to drain extra fluid (taken out in 2–3 days).
After the Surgery
Hospital stay: You stay in the hospital for 7–14 days.
Care: Doctors check how much urine you’re making (90% of living donor kidneys work right away), how the kidney is doing (with blood tests), and make sure your body doesn’t fight the kidney. You’ll have some pain for 3–5 days, but medicines like tramadol help.
What to do: Don’t lift heavy things for 6–8 weeks, take medicines to keep your body from fighting the kidney (like immunosuppressants), and watch for signs of being sick.
Recovery After Kidney Transplant
Hospital stay: 7–14 days.
Pain: You’ll feel some pain for 3–5 days, but it gets better in 1–2 weeks.
Moving around: Don’t do heavy stuff for 6–8 weeks, but start walking a little after 2–3 days to avoid blood clots.
Kidney working: 90% of living donor kidneys work right away; 20–30% of deceased donor kidneys might need dialysis for 1–4 weeks.
Food: Eat healthy food with less salt and avoid raw foods like sushi for 3–6 months to avoid getting sick.
Medicines: Take medicines to keep your kidney safe for life and other medicines for 3–6 months to stop infections.
Doctor visits: See your doctor every week for a month, then every month for a year. They’ll check your kidney with blood tests and a scan at 1–3 months.
Most people go back to normal activities in 6–8 weeks and feel all better in 3–6 months. It works well: 90–95% of living donor kidneys are good after 1 year, 85–90% for deceased donors, and 70–80% after 5 years if you listen to your doctor.
Risks and Complications
During or Right After Surgery
Bleeding (2–5%): You might need extra blood.
Infection (5–10%): In the cut or urinary system, fixed with medicines.
Blood clots (1–3%): In the kidney’s blood tubes, which might need another surgery.
After Surgery
Your body fighting the kidney (10–20% in the first year): Your body might not like the new kidney. Quick problems can be fixed with medicines; long-term ones need regular checks.
Slow kidney start (20–30%, deceased donors): You might need dialysis for a few weeks.
urine leak (1–3%): From the urinary tube, which might need a small fix.
Long-Term Problems
Infections (20–30%): Medicines that help your kidney can make you get sick easier; other medicines stop this.
Heart problems (10–15%): The biggest problem later; keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol low helps.
Call your doctor if: You have a fever, make less urine output, have puffiness, or feel a lot of pain.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do I need a new kidney?
Your kidneys are too sick to work because of diabetes, high blood pressure, or other problems.
Can I skip the transplant?
You can use a dialysis machine instead, but it’s not as good for a long time. A transplant helps you feel better and live longer.
Does it hurt?
You’ll feel some pain for 3–5 days, but medicines make it better, and it goes away in 1–2 weeks.
When can I go back to normal?
You can walk a little after 2–3 weeks. You’ll be normal in 3–6 months, but no heavy stuff for 6–8 weeks.
Does insurance in India pay for it?
Many insurance plans pay because it’s important for your health. Check with your insurance. Ayushman Bharat might help too.
What if something goes wrong?
Tell your doctor if you have a fever, make less urine, get puffy, or have bad pain.
How long does the new kidney last?
Most living donor kidneys (90–95%) work after 1 year, and 70–80% last 5 years. Some people need another kidney later.
What do I need to do after?
Take your medicines, eat healthy with less salt, avoid raw foods, move a little, and see your doctor a lot.
Conclusion
Kidney transplant is a life-changing procedure for ESRD, offering improved survival and quality of life compared to dialysis, with high success rates when paired with proper care. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable care, often covered by insurance. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach treatment confidently. Consult a nephrologist or transplant surgeon for personalized guidance.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Kidney Transplant
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Ahmedabad |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Ajmer |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Aligarh |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Allahabad |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Amritsar |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Aurangabad |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Bangalore |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Bareilly |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Belgaum |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Bhopal |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Bikaner |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Chandigarh |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Chennai |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Coimbatore |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Dehradun |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Delhi |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Dhanbad |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Durgapur |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Faridabad |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Ghaziabad |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Gorakhpur |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Guntur |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Gurgaon |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Guwahati |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Gwalior |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Hyderabad |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Indore |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Jabalpur |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Jaipur |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Jalandhar |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Jamshedpur |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Jodhpur |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Kanpur |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Kochi |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Kolkata |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Kollam |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Lucknow |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Ludhiana |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Madurai |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Mangalore |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Meerut |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Moradabad |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Mumbai |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Mysore |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Nagpur |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Nashik |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Noida |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Patna |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Pune |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Raipur |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Rajkot |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Ranchi |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Surat |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Thane |
7,50,000 |
15,00,000 |
Vadodara |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Varanasi |
7,00,000 |
13,00,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
7,25,000 |
14,00,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.