Possible complications

Rejection
Rejection occurs when the patient's immune system recognizes that the transplanted kidney is foreign and tries to reject it from the body.

There are two types of rejection:

1. Acute rejection is common. About 40% of patients experience acute rejection in the first three months after a transplant. If acute rejection has not occurred within one year, it is unlikely to happen. Acute rejection can usually be treated with drugs.

2. Chronic rejection is like a slow ageing of the new kidney. It is not clear what causes chronic rejection. It may take years to happen. It is the most common cause of transplant failure after the first year. There is no treatment for chronic rejection. Mild cases are not usually a problem. More severe cases will lead to the failure of the kidney.

Preventing rejection
Transplant patients have to take immunosuppressant drugs to prevent the body's immune system rejecting the transplanted kidney. Doctors have to find the correct dosage to prevent the immune system from rejecting the kidney, but keep it active enough to fight infection.

Immunosuppressant drugs have side effects such as:

Infection
Immunosuppressant drugs make the patient more susceptible to infection. It is important for patients taking these drugs to avoid being in close contact with people with infections such as the flu or chickenpox, which can be harmful to a patient with a transplant.

One infection, cytomegalovirus (CMV), is a particular problem after transplantation. It usually causes a flu-like illness. In transplant patients taking immunosuppressant drugs, a CMV infection can be quite severe. CMV can be effectively treated.

Cancer
Because they are taking immunosuppressant drugs to prevent rejection, transplant patients are more likely to get some kinds of cancer, such as skin cancer. This means they must pay particular attention to protecting themselves from the sun.