The kidneys are two organs shaped like beans that are located on either side of the lower abdomen near the back of the body. These organs receive a regular blood flow from the large renal blood vessels that bring in blood from the body and they filter the many processes of the body. Within the kidney, many tiny filters known as nephrons help to filter harmful waste products and chemicals from the blood and excess fluids to form urine, which is then sent to the bladder and passed from the body.
Disease
However, a kidney transplant procedure can be necessary once the kidneys become sick and unable to perform their duty within the human body. The nephrons inside the kidney become damaged with disease, causing them to lose their ability to filter the blood and other fluids and leaving the body flooded with life-threatening levels of waste and chemicals. If they lose a total of 90% of their filtering ability, dialysis and a transplant are necessary to avoid death.
Causes
Many people experience kidney disease as a result of other serious diseases, such as diabetes, that will cause the patient to experience frequent high blood sugar that can damage the nephrons of the kidney. Kidney transplant procedure options also become important to consider if you experience high blood pressure or hypertension, which can commonly lead to kidney failure. In addition, blocked arteries, polycystic kidney disease (which is inherited), and congenital problems can all add up to a serious problem requiring eventual transplantation.
No matter the cause of your kidneys shutting down, this is one of a few transplants that can be done using live donors, meaning that you could find a match in a living person and have him or her willingly give up a kidney. Adult humans do not require both kidneys to remain healthy, which is why it is possible for this type of procedure to be done and why it is imperative that you start looking for a donor match immediately. Follow us on Twitter.
