Preparing for kidney transplant surgery

Staying as healthy as possible is one of the best things you can do right now. Try to:

• Get regular physical activity, as recommended by your doctor
• Follow your kidney diet and fluid limits
• Take all prescribed medications as directed
• Avoid smoking. Quitting can improve your overall health and help your body accept a new kidney

If you need help quitting tobacco, your care team can connect you with resources.

If you're already on dialysis, you'll continue your treatments until your transplant surgery. Staying consistent with dialysis helps keep your body ready for the new kidney.

To stay active on the transplant waiting list, you’ll be required to attend all scheduled medical appointments and complete any testing your care team requests.

You don’t have to wait passively. Talk to your family and friends about the possibility of living kidney donation. Sharing your story through social media, emails or even postcards can make a difference. Learn more about how living donation works. It may shorten your wait time.

Your coordinator is your go-to resource. Please reach out if you have any questions or if your circumstances change, such as your health, medications, insurance or contact information. Keeping your coordinator informed helps avoid delays and ensures your place on the list remains secure.

At Sentara, we have been successfully performing kidney transplants since 1972. We are one of the most active and experienced kidney transplant centers in Virginia. 
Our caring, experienced team is the main reason the National Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients recently ranked the Sentara Transplant Center among the top hospitals in Virginia for adult kidney transplant survival rates.  Our extensive experience enable us to help patients lead longer, better lives after transplant surgery.

Our transplant team includes a wide range of dedicated specialists, including:

• Transplant nephrologists
• Transplant and urologic surgeons
• Infectious disease specialists
• Immune system specialists
• Patient transplant coordinators
• Pharmacists
• Social workers
• Support personnel who work regularly with kidney transplant patients and their loved ones

Knowledge can help ease anxiety. That’s why we invite you and your loved ones to attend a 3-hour transplant education class. You’ll learn what to expect before, during, and after surgery. On the same day, you’ll also meet many of the people who will care for you.

You’re not limited to one waiting list. Some patients choose to list at multiple transplant centers to increase their chances of getting a kidney sooner. Sentara allows patients to put themselves on transplant waiting lists at other hospitals in addition to ours. Being on several waiting lists can sometimes decrease the amount of time you wait for a donor kidney.

Keep in mind, though, that you will need to complete pre-transplant evaluations for each transplant center. Check with your insurance to see if they cover the cost for multiple evaluations.

Every transplant journey is unique, and your needs may change along the way. Your Sentara transplant coordinator will check in with you regularly, but you can also reach out with questions or concerns at any time. We’re here to ensure you and your loved ones feel supported and prepared for what comes next.

The transplant team needs to be able to contact you at all times. Keep your cell phone fully charged and check all voicemail messages immediately. Please notify your transplant coordinator if you plan to travel.

Include any special items you would like to take with you, such as your favorite slippers or pillow, photos of loved ones and reading materials or electronics. Leave valuables at home or with your family or friends.

Your loved ones may wish to spend as much time with you at the hospital as possible. Consider asking neighbors or friends in advance to pick up your mail, water your plants, feed your pets or help with childcare.

If you are still working or own a business, prepare a detailed plan for your departure. You may need to leave work without much notice and will probably be unable to work for at least 6-8 weeks after your transplant surgery. You may want to consider taking a medical leave of absence or adjusting to a reduced schedule while you recover.

You may be anxious—and a bit excited, too—before your surgery. That is perfectly understandable! However, do everything you can to minimize your stress. That could include practicing a favorite hobby, learning relaxation exercises, listening to soothing music or spending time with family and friends.

If your new kidney is coming from another location, it is safely preserved in cool saline (salt water) until surgery and then transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

You will need to make immediate arrangements to travel to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Once you arrive, our team will prepare you for surgery. You may need to undergo dialysis before your transplant procedure.