What Happens to the failing Kidney after a Kidney Transplant?

When doctors perform kidney transplant surgery to replace a damaged or diseased kidney, the problematic organ is not typically removed from the patient's body. The new kidney, whether from a living or deceased donor, is implanted below the original organ, in the lower right or lower left side of the patient's abdomen, with connections made to nearby blood vessels and the bladder. There are, however, instances when a diseased kidney must be removed.

Surgeons will remove a diseased kidney if the patient has a history of repeated infections, as this might compromise the transplanted organ, or if the patient suffered from uncontrollable hypertension caused by the original kidneys. Another situation that could require removal is when urine backs up into the patient's kidney, a condition called reflux.

When good kidneys go bad:

• The kidneys remove a type of waste called urea from the blood. Urea is produced when food containing protein is broken down by the body.
• The kidneys, a pair of purplish-brown organs, are located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. You may feel kidney pain as a dull, one-sided ache in your back, often accompanied by fever and urinary symptoms.
• A transplant may be recommended for people with end-stage renal disease, a permanent condition of kidney failure that usually requires dialysis.