Kidney Transplant - You can have more than 2 kidneys!

Did you know: 

Most people are born with two kidneys. If one of the kidneys dies you don't remove the old kidney but instead add a new kidney. It is the surgeon's choice of whether or not to put the new kidney to the left side or the right side of the patient

When you have a kidney transplant, you usually end up with 3 ...

Surgery Video:

Dr. Simpson began by marking the lower left side of the patient's abdomen, so they didn't have to cut through the abdominal muscles. This particular patient is having his second kidney transplant. This means that the patient has 3 or 4 kidneys in his body. 


During a kidney transplant, the new kidney is put in ice to keep it cool so that the organ does not die. When the time comes to add the kidney to the patient, the surgeon is running against the clock so the organ does not die before it is put in. Dr. Simpson's aim was to complete the surgery in less than 30 minutes. Dr. Simpson then put the kidney into a “sock” so that the kidney can be installed correctly. 


In order to install the kidney Dr. Simpson clamped the artery, sewed the kidney onto the artery, then they unclamp the artery, and then watched to see if there was other bleeding. Since there was no bleeding they grasped the artery to feel a pulse, and it felt good and strong. Since there was no bleeding and the pulse was strong they cut the “sock” off the kidney. In the video you can see that the color of the Kidney changed from a yellowish color to a red/pink color, that means blood is running through it, a good sign. It also feels firm, how you want a kidney to feel, also a good sign. One of the best things, in Dr. Simpson opinion, is to hold a kidney and to feel a pulse, that is excellent. Once the kidney looks and feels correct Dr. Simpson then sews the ureter to the bladder. Once the ureter is unclamped the kidney begins to produce urine. That is the final step in knowing that the kidney is running perfectly; and giving the patient a second chance at life. Dr. Simpson finished up the surgery by sewing the patient's skin together for the ending of another successful operation. 


Video by: Northwestern Medicine

Transplant Surgeon: Dinee C. Simpson, MD

Link to surgery: Kidney Transplant Surgery | Inside the OR

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