Kidney disease
Some diseases can be easily diagnosed by the testing of urine.
Glucose in the urine indicates the person is suffering from diabetes. The glucose levels in the blood are so high the kidney is unable to reabsorb it and it leaves the body in urine.
Protein in the urine indicates damage in the kidney, as generally proteins in the blood are too large to pass through into the nephronFiltration unit of the kidney, also called a kidney tubule. tubule.
Dialysis
In order to remove toxic urea, and to maintain the correct balance of salts and water in the body, a patient whose kidneys are not working properly needs to spend many hours a week attached to a dialysis machine.
Advantages
- It can keep a patient alive whilst they are waiting for a suitable donor to be found.
- It does not involve major surgery.
Disadvantages
- Patients need to follow a carefully controlled diet.
- Patients need to spend many hours every week attached to a dialysis machine.
- Dialysis machines are very expensive.
- Dialysis will only be successful for a certain amount of time.
Kidney transplant
A person with kidney failure may have a kidney transplant. This involves replacing the failed kidney with a healthy one from a donor. The donor kidney is connected near the patient’s bladder.
A major problem with transplantation is rejectionAn organ is rejected if the recipient’s immune system attacks the organ.. This is where the immune system of the patient receiving the kidney recognises the transplant as non-self and destroys it, so it is essential that any transplanted kidney is as similar as possible to the patient’s tissue typeThe type of antigens found on the surface of body cells..
Close family are most likely to have similar tissue types and, when this is the case, living donation can occur. However, the patient will still need to take immunosuppressantDrugs which prevent the immune system from attacking a transplanted organ. drugs for the rest of their life.
Advantages
- Once the transplant has occurred the patient no longer has diet restrictions.
- Long periods of time on dialysis are no longer necessary.
- Although not a life-long cure, a kidney transplant will generally allow the patient to live a fuller life for longer than a patient on dialysis.
Disadvantages
- It is difficult to find a donor organ with a matching tissue type.
- The risk of organ rejection.
- Having to take drugs which suppress the immune system, leaving the patient susceptible to contracting other diseases.
- Regular doctors' appointments to detect signs of organ rejection.
- Major surgery is required.