What is rejection? How do I know if I am rejecting my kidney transplant?

Rejection occurs when your immune system attacks your kidney transplant. You receive the induction therapy and maintenance therapy so your body accepts your kidney transplant. This is called engrafting. Without immunosuppressive medications your immune system would recognize your transplant as a foreign invader and try to destroy it.

You will be closely followed after your transplant. We suspect rejection when your serum creatinine rises. Rejection is diagnosed on a tissue sample. We obtain the tissue sample by doing a kidney transplant biopsy. In a kidney transplant biopsy a small needle is inserted into your kidney transplant to remove a small piece of kidney. The tissue is examined under a microscope for signs of rejection. If rejection is present, there are medications that we can give you to halt the attack. In 2005 only 10% of patients who underwent kidney transplantation needed medication for rejection in their first year after surgery.