All You Need To Know About Transplant Surgery

Organ transplant surgery includes removal of the diseased organ from the body and replacing it with a healthy one. This is a life saving procedure that gives the recipient a new lease of life. Organ transplant is a major surgery and has its own risks and drawbacks. The most common transplants that are performed are kidneys, pancreas, liver, heart, lung and intestine. Depending on the organ needed, they are matched using several characteristics such as the size of the organ needed and the blood type of the patient etc.

Availability of organ donors

Organ transplant surgeries are generally dependent on the availability of donors. Generally, a donor could be a living person such as your friends and family or a diseased person whose organs are working just fine. The living donor's blood is tested to check whether it is compatible with the recipient.

Lifestyle changes are crucial

Organ transplant candidates need to make some substantial lifestyle changes. This essentially means that they need to stop smoking, alcohol and might also require reducing substantial weight.

Questions to ask your doctor about your transplant

Organ transplant is one of the major decisions of your life. It is obvious that you might have a number of questions in your mind. Make sure that you ask your doctor about the risks of the transplant, the success rates of the transplant and the survival rates of the patients after the surgery. It is also important to ask how long your hospital stay will be etc.

Things to remember after the transplant

Most patients feel better immediately after the transplant and can enjoy a significantly improved life. There is a possibility that the immune system of your body might reject the new organ. In order to prevent this, your doctor will prescribe immunosuppressant (anti-rejection) drugs. These drugs need to be taken as recommended by the doctor or the surgery will not sustain and your body might not function well with the newly transplanted organ. It is important to carefully observe the symptoms of rejection and contact your doctor as soon as you observe any changes. Your doctor will make adjustments to your anti-rejection regimen. It is hence of utmost importance that you keep all your doctor's appointments and take all your prescribed medications regularly. The rejection can be reversed if the doctor is able to detect the early signs of rejection. During the first few months after a transplant keep in constant touch with your doctor and ensure that you follow all the instructions religiously. Monitor your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and all the recommended health screenings to ensure that your new organ is accepted by the body.

To sum it up

Overall, it is highly essential that you understand the procedure that you are undergoing, the risks involved and the post operative care that you need to take. Talk to your doctor and ensure that you follow all the recommendations and prescriptions so that the body accepts the new organ.