Kidney Transplant Surgery

When it's time for your kidney transplant, your transplant team will guide you through each step.

The exact surgery process may differ depending on if your kidney comes from a living or deceased donor and which surgical approach is best for you.

Kidney Transplant Surgery Options

At UVA Health, kidney transplant surgery may be done using a traditional open surgical approach or as robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Robot-assisted surgery uses several smaller incisions and specialized surgical instruments controlled by the surgeon.

Your transplant surgeon will decide which approach is safest and most appropriate for you.

During Kidney Transplant Surgery

During the surgery, the donor kidney is usually placed in your lower abdomen. The kidney's blood vessels are connected to blood vessels in your body, and the donor ureter is connected to your bladder so urine can drain from the new kidney.

In most cases, your own kidneys remain in place unless there is a medical reason to remove them.

Immediately After Surgery

After surgery, you'll recover from anesthesia before moving to the transplant unit. Your team will closely monitor:

• How well your new kidney is working
• Your fluid intake and output
• Your blood tests
• Your medications
• Signs of complications

Some transplanted kidneys begin working immediately. Others may take more time to begin working fully. See what recovering from a kidney transplant looks like.