Kidney transplants

In Australia, kidney transplants have a high success rate – currently, over 95% of transplants are working one year later.

Life expectancy for someone who has undergone a kidney transplant varies by each individual patient and their overall health. According to the 2024 ANZSN, 9 out of 10 people that receive a kidney transplant survive to five years after transplant. In Australia, 4 in every 10 kidney transplants are still working 15 years later.

There is less risk of rejection with a living donor kidney than for a deceased donor kidney. Even though success rates are better with a living donor, only two of every ten kidney transplants in Australia are from a living donor.

There are two main types of transplant in Australia; those from a deceased donor and those from a living donor.

A kidney may be specifically given to you from a loved one, or in some rare cases, a kidney may be given to you by a stranger who donates one of their kidneys to the next suitable person on the waiting list to receive a deceased donor kidney. In Australia, most people will need to wait 2-3 years before being matched to a suitable donor.

To see if you are a possible match for either a living or deceased donor kidney, your doctor will test:

• your blood group (A, B, AB, O) – this will tell if the red blood cells from you and your donor are compatible
• the tissue type matching – which looks for HLA proteins on your cells. Your immune system works to keep you safe by looking for combinations of HLA proteins that are not your own. To keep your new kidney safe, the doctor will check to see if your body recognises your donor kidneys HLA proteins.
• the cross match – to see if your blood cells react poorly to your donors blood cells.

These tests will help your doctor determine if the donor kidney is a good match for you. You may have a friend or family member that wishes to donate, but is not a suitable match for you. You can sign up for the Australian and New Zealand Paired Kidney Exchange Program to match with another living donor and recipient pair that may be a better match for you.

Preparing for a kidney transplant can be overwhelming.

Before you head into surgery, make sure to talk to your doctor or health practitioner and ask them any questions you have. You will also need to speak to your carer, if you have one, and make plans with your school or workplace for initial changes to your daily life.

It’s important to be as fit and healthy as possible too. You want to make sure your body is ready for both the surgery and medication you’ll need to go on afterwards.

It’s also a good idea to have regular health and dental checks, and maintain your:

• recommended dietary and fluid restrictions
• dialysis schedule
• regular fitness or exercise plan
• ideal body weight for your age and size (being overweight increases the risk of problems during surgery).

During surgery, the new kidney is placed in position. Your existing kidneys are not usually removed. Sometimes, if you have large polycystic kidneys, one may be removed to make space for the transplant.

The operation usually takes 3 to 4 hours with variable hours of recovery. The new kidney is connected to your bladder so urine can flow, and a tube or catheter is placed in your bladder for up to 5 days (after which it’s removed). You may come out of the operation with tubes at the operation site (a drain) or a catheter in your bladder.

Some kidneys start to work straight away, but others may take a few days or weeks. You’ll be in hospital for about a week, depending on how quickly you recover from the surgery. The transplants kidney will be closely monitored with blood tests and scans. You may also be required to undergo a transplant biopsy where they take a small sample of the tissue.

You will need ongoing frequent monitoring of blood tests, blood pressure, drug levels and your health. Initially this will be very frequent (daily) and over time will become less frequent depending on your progress. Be prepared to come into the hospital daily after discharge.

You’ll take medicines, for the life of the transplanted kidney, to stop your body from rejecting it. These anti-rejection medicines can make you more prone to serious illnesses such as infections and cancers. They also interact with many other medicines, so it’s important to check with your nephrologist or pharmacist before taking any other prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, or vitamins and supplements.

Sometimes a kidney stops working because people stop taking these medications, so it’s incredibly important that you take them regularly and a s prescribed. Along with general health and fitness, your kidney will last longer if you follow advice about caring for your kidney.

We welcome you to call our Kidney Helpline on 1800 454 363 for additional support.

Whether you’re just starting to explore it or already preparing for donation, the Kidney Health 4 Life Program offers free support, guidance and connection every step of the way.