Why Our Program Is Unique
An effective and complete team
A diagnosis of renal failure brings new challenges. We not only offer the best medical solutions, but also we help patients negotiate all of the changes that this diagnosis represents. We assist patients as they transition into a new health care system. Our office has a friendly atmosphere, where patients feel welcome. Our staff is a complete team, that integrates talented and thoughtful individuals with definite areas of expertise.
An emphasis on patient education
We help patients successfully care for their new kidney. Each member of the team (pre-transplant nurse, transplant pharmacist, social worker, floor nurse, discharge planning nurse, clinic nurse, dietician) has a carefully defined teaching role. Together, they present coherent patient care that emphasizes understanding medications, what to look for and how to have a healthy life-style. Brochures, teaching materials, and a patient handbook complement the teaching package.
A specialized inpatient unit
All postoperative kidney transplant patients stay in a specialized, monitored unit. Our nurses undergo competency testing in the care of transplant patients and cardiac monitoring, as well as attend regular teaching sessions by physicians and pharmacists. Daily rounds are conducted by a multidisciplinary group, which includes the surgical and nephrology teams, transplant pharmacist, and nurses. Joint, weekly round-table conferences review all aspects of patient care including transplant candidate selection, inpatient review, and transplant clinic postoperative care.
These sessions ensure that all patients have the benefit of the entire team for their care.
Other unique features of our program include:
- Steroid avoidance immunosuppression
- Intraoperative Thymoglobulin to improve cadaveric kidney function
- Desensitization for patients with a positive cross-match to a living donor
- Desensitization for patients with an incompatible blood group donor
- Desensitization for highly sensitized patients on the wait-list
- Special responsibility to our donors
Treatment Options
If your kidneys fail and can no longer remove waste products from your body you have the following treatment options:
Dialysis
This is a technique of removing fluid and waste products from your body with a dialyzer machine. This machine acts as an artificial kidney. This method of using a dialysis machine is called hemodialysis and requires that your blood be slowly passed over a filter and then returned to your body
Peritoneal dialysis is a dialysis option where a small tube is placed in your abdomen. Fluid is put into your abdomen which then absorbs wastes and extra fluid from your body before being drained out of the tube again. This needs to be done several times a day and is done by the patients themselves at their home or work.
Kidney Transplant
Kidney Transplant is when a new kidney is placed into your body, to replace the functions of your own kidneys and to give you a healthier life off of dialysis. See below for more information on transplant options.
Transplant Types
Living Donor Transplants | Cadaveric Transplants
Procedure Information
Kidney Transplant Recipient
The surgical procedure for kidney transplantation has been perfected over many years. The kidney will be placed on the right or lower left side of your abdomen and the surgery will take between 2 and 4 hours.
The artery and vein of the transplanted kidney will be connected to arteries and veins in your pelvis. The ureter (collecting the urine from the kidney) will be connected to the bladder. In some situations it will be connected directly to your own ureter. The skin incision will be about 20 cm long
The artery and vein of the kidney are connected to the artery and vein of the pelvis (Iliac artery and vein). The ureter is connected to the bladder. The muscle layer of the bladder is closed on top of this connection to prevent a reflux into the bladder.
In general it is not necessary to have your own kidneys removed. However, there may be situations in which you will benefit from the removal of your kidneys. This should be discussed on an individual basis with your nephrologist or surgeon.
Kidney Transplant Donor
Laparoscopic kidney donation, done through small incisions, represents a major improvement for donors. At the Brigham, we have uniquely refined this technique to a high level of safety for the donor, without compromising the quality of the transplanted kidney. For these reasons, virtually all Brigham donors are now done laparoscopically.
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