If kidneys stop their work, there will be a build-up of waste material in the body that will make the person seriously ill and cause:

• high blood pressure
• fluid accumulation
• imbalance of salt and acids in the blood
• decreased red blood cells
• weakening of bones

This condition is serious, often life-threatening and is termed as kidney failure (or end-stage renal/kidney disease).

There is no need to have two donor kidneys as one donated kidney is enough to replace two failed kidneys. This makes it possible to have one kidney from a living-donor for kidney transplantation. So, the donor kidney can come from living donor or a deceased donor.

Living donors: Living donor can be any person who is healthy with healthy kidneys. As our body can work well even with a single kidney, friends or family of the person can choose to donate one kidney. But this requires matching of blood and tissue of both the donor and recipient.
Deceased donors: Kidney can also be donated by a deceased/cadaver donor. Kidney from deceased is taken if the person died due to some accident rather than any disease.
It is better to have a kidney donated by your family member as there are less chances of rejection as compared to a donated kidney from an unrelated donor.

• Both donor and recipient will stay in the hospital for few days after transplant. Recipient may need to stay longer
• There will be a catheter in the bladder of recipient for a few days
• Patient is given IV feeding through arm or neck vein for a few days
• Ambulation is generally started 24 hours after surgery
• New kidney starts to work immediately in most of the cases, but if it does not then dialysis is done for few days

• After a successful surgery for kidney transplant, the new kidney starts filtering blood and dialysis is no longer required.
• Patient is required to take medications as prescribed to prevent rejection of donor kidney.
• Regular check-up with doctor is must to evaluate the kidney functioning and stay healthy.

Benefits of Kidney Transplant surgery:

• Increases chances of survival and adds years to the life of sufferer
• Freedom from long-term dependence of dialysis and its strict schedule
• Fewer dietary restrictions
• Allows the person to live a more active life
• Improves quality of life of the person
• Lower treatment cost

In India: 40 days
In Hospital: Donor: 7 days, Recipient: 15 to 21 days

The kidney transplant cost estimates $12,000-$15,000.

The factors which depends on kidney transplant cost are treatment country, hospital charges, medicines, stay, accommodation, etc.