Kidney Transplant

Compared to other treatment options, a kidney transplant enables patients suffering from kidney failure to have a longer lifespan and a better quality of life. Patients can maintain an active and productive work, family, and social life while being able to travel freely after a kidney transplant. The success rate of kidney transplants is high, and 98% of patients are discharged from the hospital with a functional new kidney.

Laparoscopic Donor Surgery

All donor harvesting surgeries performed in our hospital are done so laparoscopically. Using the laparoscopic technique, donor surgeries are performed by making 3 small entrance holes, each being only 5 mm in diameter, resulting in a rather painless and bloodless procedure making it possible to leave the hospital one day following the surgery. After the laparoscopic procedure, the donor can return to their work and social life and may participate in sport. Furthermore, because the surgery is done laparoscopically, a very good cosmetic result is achieved.

Kidney Transplant Process

Our experienced organ transplant coordinators manage all necessary preparations in a rapid and systematic manner for patients who present to the Kidney Transplant Centre. During pre-op preparations, surgical, nephrological, cardiological, and immunological compatibility evaluations are done; radiological imaging and laboratory tests are carried out, and the preparation process is completed with approval of the Organ Transplant Committee. 

The duration of hospitalization after kidney transplant surgery is short, and patients are discharged from the hospital three or four days after the surgery.

Kidney Transplant with Approval of the Ethics Committee

A kidney transplant between friends, neighbors and people with emotional affinity who are not blood-related yet share a common history can be carried out with approval from the Ethics Committee of the Turkish Ministry of Health’s Istanbul Provincial Directorate. Our kidney transplant center accepts such applications, prepares the patient’s records and sends them to the Ethics Committee. Our hospital goes forward with kidney transplant surgery after patients have received approval from the Ethics Committee.

Paired Kidney Exchange

A paired kidney exchange is a possible option when a donor and recipient can’t go through with the transplant due to blood or immunological incompatibility.  Paired kidney exchanges are performed between different donor-receiver pairs to overcome the blood type and immunological incompatibility obstacle, offering both couples the chance to have a kidney transplant.

Pediatric Kidney Transplant

Kidney failure is a disease that is often seen in adults yet can also be seen in children. Pediatric kidney transplants allow children with kidney failure to grow up healthy and have a normal educational experience and social life. Pediatric kidney transplants from compatible donors can be performed in our hospital.

Preparation, surgical and follow-up processes of pediatric kidney transplants differ greatly from that of adults and require special knowledge, training and experience.
 

Kidney Transplant with Desensitization (Treatment for Incompatibility)

Patients who cannot have a kidney transplant due to problems with immunological compatibility tests can be given a chance of kidney transplantation by desensitization (adaptation therapy). The desensitization process is carried out during the 14 days before surgery and consists of drug treatments and plasmapheresis (plasma exchange) treatments. At the end of this process, immunological tests are performed again and successful patients can have kidney transplants.

Liver Transplant

What is a Liver Transplant?

Liver transplantation is the surgical removal of an entire nonfunctioning liver or a liver which has developed a tumor and replacing it with a healthy one. In liver transplantation, the organ is obtained from a brain-dead cadaver donor or a living donor from which a certain part of the liver is removed.

Liver Transplant from a Living Donor

The process is carried out by excising a part of the liver of a completely healthy person over the age of 18 who voluntarily by their own free will makes the donation. In order to perform the surgery, the recipient and donor patients must be 4th degree blood relatives or in-laws whereas unrelated patients need approval from the Ethics Committee of the Provincial Directorate of Health.

Cadaver Donor Liver Transplant

The transplant is done upon donation of a brain-dead person’s organs by their family.

For Which Diseases is Liver     Transplantation Performed?

Acute Liver Failure

A patient who has no previously known liver disease who suddenly presents with jaundice, blurred consciousness, or bleeding tendency.

Most Common Causes

• Viruses
• Medications
• Chemicals
• Wild mushroom poisoning

Chronic Liver Disease

This disease profile develops over time in a patient with previously known liver disease as a result of the liver not being able to meet the body’s needs. Fluid accumulation (ascites) causing abdominal swelling in patients, potentially fatal esophageal hemorrhage (esophageal varices), and varying degrees of impaired consciousness (hepatic encephalopathy) may be seen in patients.

Most Common Causes

• Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infection
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver
• Long-term and excessive use of alcohol
• Diseases causing liver cysts
• Blockages in liver veins
• Metabolic disease due to defective liver enzyme synthesis
• Antitrypsin deficiency
• Glycogen storage disease
• Wilson’s disease
• Hemochromatosis
• Disease profiles in which poor bile flow to bowels is present
• Biliary atresia
• Primary-secondary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Idiopathic liver dysfunction

Liver Cancers

• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Neuroendocrine tumors

Ineligible Donors

• Those with ABO incompatibility
• Those under the age of 18
• Those who are not voluntary donors
• Obese people
• Those with psychiatric problems
• Those with alcoholism and drug addiction
• Those diagnosed with cancer
• Chronic hepatitis patients
• AIDS patients
• Those with cardiac and lung disease
• Diabetics
• Those with neurological diseases
• Those with bleeding disorder
• Those with fatty liver
• Those with insufficient liver volume
• Pregnant women