Do you know that kidneys are the most transplanted organ in the world? Yes, the rate of kidney failure is rising at a high rate. People who are in the last stage of renal disease, need a kidney transplant. This means that both of their kidneys have either stopped working or they cannot work more than ten per cent.
The first successful kidney transplant in the world was in 1954 in Boston. And the first successful one in India was in 1971 at Christian medical college, Vellore. Since then the numbers kept increasing.
Around 2,20,000 people need kidney transplants in India according to the current situation.
Kidney failure may occur due to many reasons like diabetes (both type 1 and type 2), high blood pressure, polycystic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis( inflammation of the filters of the kidney), vesicoureteral reflux, (which may cause the urine to back up in the kidney itself), conditions like kidney stones, enlarged prostate, cancers, etc may obstruct the urinary tract for a very long time which can eventually damage the kidneys.
Certain risk factors can increase the chances of kidney failure such as obesity, smoking, family history of kidney failure, cardiovascular diseases, and frequent intake of medicines which damage the kidneys.
There are two options for the patient whose both kidneys have failed- either dialysis or kidney transplant. Dialysis can be problematic and the patient may not be able to live as freely. But with a kidney transplant, they may live more freely and can go back to living their normal life.
With the rapid rate of kidney failures, the need for kidney transplants is also increasing. So, there are also advancements in the technical field.
Initially, aeons were used to perform kidney transplants through the open surgery method. In this method, the surgeons make a big cut to perform the surgery. There are cases where they may need to remove a rib. The surgeons close the cut with stitches after the surgery. But after the open traditional surgery or open nephrectomy, the patient takes a lot of time to recover, there are longer hospital stays and this type of surgery is more complicated for the patient as well as the surgeon.
Then came the laparoscopic method. In this surgery, the surgeons use a laparoscope, which is a small camera and they insert it into the abdominal wall through small incisions. The doctors can view the abdominal cavity and remove the failed kidney with much more ease. It is also beneficial for the patient, as he may experience less pain, will eventually recover faster and it will be less complicated.
But then came robotic technology which is indeed a great evolution for kidney transplantation. There are complications and postoperative problems with the traditional method and the laparoscopic method of a kidney transplant. But robotic kidney transplantation is the best method for this procedure. It resolves the problems of the other two methods. It is similar to the laparoscopic method, yet it is more advanced than that. There is a three-dimensional camera which gives a high-definition view to the operator. Then there is a robotic arm which mimics the directions of the surgeon. Therefore, it is very comfortable, clear and precise for the surgeon to perform the surgery through this method. The patient also recovers faster and can get back to their normal life as the cuts are very small in this surgery. The robotic kidney transplant is much more convenient for both the doctor and the patient, it saves time, reduces complications, and reduces the risks of postoperative complications.
As this is the month of world kidney day, we at Asian hospital, Faridabad have started the region’s first kidney transplant program. We have specialist nephrologists, urologists, and transplant surgeons. Our doctors and their transplant teams have successfully performed over one thousand successful transplants. Our doctors are well-efficient and experienced to deal with high-risk transplants, cadaver transplants, swap transplants, HLA incompatibility and blood group mismatch.
Our hospital also has a Vascular robotic facility to assist in kidney transplant operations, so that our patients experience faster recovery, less bleeding, small scars and less pain.
We give the best pre-operative as well as post-operative care to our patients, along with the best facilities to our patients.