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After Your Kidney Transplant Surgery |
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Post-surgical Care
After surgery, the patient is transferred to the surgical intensive care unit. A team of specially trained critical care physicians and nurses monitors the patient’s progress and recovery. Once stabilized, the patient is transferred to the intermediate care unit where care is provided by the patient’s caregiver and nurses. The usual hospital stay after kidney transplantation is about six days. Gradually, the patient and/or caregivers are allowed to administer necessary medications under the close supervision of the transplant pharmacist. This prepares them to properly administer medications at home.
Clinic Visits & Regular Testing Procedures
After discharge from the hospital, the patient will receive information about follow-up clinic visits and checkups, along with specific instructions for necessary testing and lab work. Post-transplant patients are seen two to three times per week for outpatient follow-up. After this initial follow-up period, patients will return to their referring physicians for long-term care.
Medication
The nurse coordinator will carefully explain all medications to be taken after surgery. This information may include the name and purpose of the medications, when and how to take them, possible side-effects and how to order additional medications if necessary.
Immunosuppressive medications will be prescribed to help prevent and treat rejection. Anti-rejection medication will be taken by the patient every day as long as the kidney is functioning. These drugs decrease your body's resistance to your new kidney, but may also impair your ability to fight off infections. You may be given medication to help prevent infections and should also avoid contact with people with infections, especially during the first three to six months after transplant. Additional drugs may be necessary to control blood pressure, reduce inflammation and decrease fluid retention after the surgery.
Home Monitoring & Care
Upon returning home, the patient may be asked to regularly monitor certain vital signs. Any changes in body temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate or body weight may be a sign of infection, rejection or medication side-effects and should be reported immediately to the nurse coordinator or physician. Specifically, patients should report any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
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Redness, swelling, increased pain, excessive bleeding or discharge from the insertion site
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Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain or severe nausea or vomiting
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Cough that produces a yellowish or greenish substance
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Dry cough that continues for more than one week
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Prolonged nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
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Inability to take prescribed medication
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Bruising
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Black stools
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Red or rusty-brown urine
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A rash or other skin changes
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Pain, discharge or swelling at the site of the drainage tube
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Vaginal discharge, in women
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Pain, burning, urgency, frequency of urination or persistent bleeding in the urine
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Exposure to mumps, measles, chicken pox or shingles
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Unusual weakness or light-headedness
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Illness that requires emergency-room treatment or hospitalization
Nutritional Management
The recovery process can be enhanced by a proper diet. For transplant patients, a diet low in fat, sugar and salt will help control weight and blood sugar, limit fluid retention and control blood pressure. Our nutritional counseling program can help in developing a healthy food plan to meet each patient's needs. For more information about nutritional counseling, please call (619) 574-8612.
Resuming Normal Activities
Most patients are able to return to normal or near-normal activities six to 12 months after transplantation. General guidelines include:
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Avoid overexposure to the sun
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Avoid all alcoholic beverages
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Don’t smoke
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Begin a daily exercise routine to build strength and avoid muscle weakness
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Check with the transplant team before having dental work done to see if antibiotics are necessary
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Avoid travel to countries that require immunization for smallpox, measles, German measles, or any other vaccine containing a live virus, because transplant patients cannot receive these vaccines
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Avoid pregnancy for at least one year following transplant surgery and discuss any plans to become pregnant with the transplant team.
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Discuss possible risks related to birth control with the transplant team
Center for Transplantation
Hillcrest Medical Offices South
4168 Front St., Second Floor
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 574-8612
Fax:(619) 296-1852 |