How long will the kidney transplant surgery take? How long will I be in the hospital after my kidney transplant?

Kidney transplant surgery takes 2 to 3 hours on average to perform. After surgery you will spend the night in the PACU (postanesthesia care unit) where you will be closely monitored. Your urine output is measured hourly and your IV (intravenous) fluids are adjusted hourly to match your urine output. You will have a tube in your bladder (Foley catheter) that drains your urine into a bag. This gives your bladder time to adapt to the new kidney and gives us a way to accurately measure your urine. The Foley catheter is usually removed on day 3 after surgery. The urine output is one measure of how your new kidney is working.

You will also notice a tube with a suction bulb on the end coming out near your new kidney. This is called a Jackson-Pratt drain. This drains fluids from your abdomen. It is removed a few days after surgery.

Most patients are in the hospital about 5 days after kidney transplant. This gives us time to give you the appropriate immunosuppressive medications and make sure your drug levels are acceptable. This also gives you time to familiarize yourself with your new medications. Your blood labs are drawn daily to assess your kidney function. Your urine output and fluid intake are closely monitored daily. You will be weighed daily. Your blood pressure, blood sugars, and vital signs are closely monitored. We are always looking for any signs of infection such as a fever or elevated white blood cell count.

Before you leave the hospital you should be out of bed and walking and familiar with your medications.