What is the Success Rate of Kidney Transplant

If you are suffering from end-stage kidney disease, your nephrologist may have provided you with two treatment options: either dialysis or a kidney transplant for kidney failure. Both dialysis and kidney transplant have their pros and cons. But if you are thinking about going for a kidney transplant, then knowing the benefits, risks, and success rate of the procedure can help you make an informed decision for your health.

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that involves replacing a failed kidney with a healthy kidney from a deceased or living donor. Learn the success rate of a kidney transplant.

The Success Rate of Living and Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant

Generally speaking, a living donor kidney transplant has a higher success rate than a deceased donor kidney transplant. Kidneys from a living donor tend to last longer and also function better as compared to a deceased donor's kidney.

Still, both deceased and living donor kidney transplants have a high success rate and have improved the life expectancy of many patients with end-stage kidney disease.

In the US, about 97% of patients who had a living donor kidney transplant were healthy and alive 1 year after the surgery. Whereas after 5 years, the success rate of living donor kidney transplant stood at 86%. In the case of a deceased donor kidney transplant, the success rate was 96% after 1 year, and after 5 years, the success rate of the transplant was 79%.

The success rate of a kidney transplant can also vary according to the facilities available in the hospital and the expertise of the surgeons who will perform the procedure. Many countries around the world have a pool of talented kidney transplant surgeons and accredited hospitals to provide highly successful kidney transplants.

Also Read: Top 15 Kidney Transplant FAQs: Common Questions Answered

In countries like India, the success rate of a living donor kidney transplant is 90-95% after 1 year of the surgery. Many patients who received a kidney transplant 15-20 years ago are still healthy and alive. If in the first year after the transplant, the kidney is healthy, then there is a good chance that it will remain healthy for a long time. Even after 5 years of the transplant, 80% of the patients have healthy kidneys.

In Thailand, the success rate of a kidney transplant after 1 year is 93-98% whereas after 5 years, the survival rate is 73-82%. This is higher as compared to hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, which have a survival rate of 78%(1-year survival) and 29%(5-year survival.

Post-operative Care in Ensuring A Successful Kidney Transplant

Post-operative care is necessary to keep your transplanted kidneys healthy and ensure a successful kidney transplant.

After your kidney transplant, you will have regular follow-up sessions to check if your kidneys are functioning well.

To ensure that your transplanted kidney is not rejected, you will need to take immunosuppressants for your entire life so that your immune system doesn't reject the transplanted kidney.

Conclusion

A successful kidney transplant can be ensured by receiving treatment from expert and well-trained transplant surgeons. Proper post-operative care after a kidney transplant is necessary to keep the transplanted kidneys healthy for a long time.