Kidney Quest: Surgery & Recovery
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| Cardiac operating room (Photo credit: Ruhrfisch) |
If you are anticipating becoming a donor, the hardest part has past once the day of surgery arrives. The procedure is much like any other peritoneal surgery.
- You will be taken into the OR.
- You will be given an IV and anesthesia.
- You will have a breathing tube because the anesthesia suppresses your respiratory system.
- You will wake up and discover you have save a life.
The recipient will follow the same procedure. In our case, my brother’s procedure began about two hours after mine. He had the adjoining OR.
Your recovery will be a bit more difficult than the recipient’s. The surgeon must penetrate the peritoneal cavity. So the next day you will have a liquid diet.
The kidney is implanted in the peritoneal pocket. This is a section under the hipbone. My rail-thin brother can feel the kidney when he bends. Because the surgery is not as invasive, the recipient will be on a full diet the next day.
The donor will be released in one to two days, and you can return to work in about a month. The recipient will be released in about four days.
If you have any questions about what to expect, please feel free to leave a comment.
Author Carol McClain
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