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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staff
Complications of the procedure
Kidney transplant surgery carries a risk of significant complications, including:
- Blood clots
- Bleeding
- Leaking from or blockage of the tube (ureter) that links the kidney to the bladder
- Infection
- Failure of the donated kidney
- Rejection of the donated kidney
Anti-rejection medication side effects
After a kidney transplant, you'll take medications to help prevent your body from rejecting the donor kidney. These medications can cause a variety of side effects, including:
- Acne
- Bone thinning
- Diabetes
- Excessive hair growth
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Increased risk of cancer, particularly skin cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Infection
- Puffiness (edema)
- Weight gain
- Magee CC, et al. Clinical management. In: Brenner BM. Brenner & Rector's The Kidney. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3105-5..X5001-4--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-3105-5&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Sept. 30, 2011.
- Partnering with your transplant team: The patient's guide to transplantation. United Network for Organ Sharing. http://www.unos.org/donation/index.php?topic=patient_brochures. Accessed Sept. 30, 2011.
- Treatment methods for kidney failure: Transplantation. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/transplant/index.aspx. Accessed Sept. 30, 2011.
- Kidney Kaplan-Meier patient survival rates for transplants performed: 1997-2004. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/latestData/rptStrat.asp. Accessed Sept. 30, 2011.
- The kidneys and how they work. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/index.aspx. Accessed Sept. 30, 2011.
- Larson TS (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 17, 2011.
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