Kidney Transplant

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Supporting You Through Kidney Transplant Surgery

The University of Chicago Medicine's kidney transplant program is dedicated to offering the best possible care. Each of our experienced kidney transplant specialists, nurses and other health care professionals is dedicated to your well-being. Optum's highly respected transplant network has designated our kidney program with a Center of Excellence (COE) ranking.

Michelle Josephson, MD, kidney transplant specialist with a patient

Kidney Transplant Surgery

Hispanic patient at the latino kidney transplant clinic in Chicago

Personalized Transplant Care

Kidney Transplant Surgery at UChicago Medicine

Our experts perform both living and deceased donor kidney transplants as well as kidney-pancreas transplants for patients who have Type 1 diabetes and significant kidney disease. We continue to improve transplant medicine through our research, providing patients with access to the newest therapies and treatments.

A Team of Specialists

Before and after your transplant, you have access to hundreds of knowledgeable experts. Our kidney transplant surgeons work side-by-side with leading kidney and diabetes experts on our endocrinology team. UChicago Medicine is also home to top experts in other kidney diseases, including lupus and primary glomerular diseases.

Complex Kidney Transplant Cases

UChicago Medicine kidney transplant surgeons and physicians have a high level of expertise and commonly take on patients who may be considered too risky for transplantation — saving or enhancing many lives each year.

24/7 Accessible Staff

We are dedicated to every one of our patients. All patients visit our post-transplant clinic after kidney transplant surgery for regular check ups. In between visits, patients can always reach one of our post-transplant nurses by phone or page — any time, day or night.

Kidney Transplant Research

Our physician-scientists are conducting leading-edge research in kidney transplant care. They are at the forefront of developing new methods for keeps transplant patients healthier.

Dr. Ashley Suah — one of the country’s only Black female transplant surgeons — promotes education and equity

Our new kidney and liver transplant surgeon, Ashley Suah, MD, is one of just 13 Black female transplant surgeons in the country. Suah has a dual mission: to be an outstanding surgeon to all people and to address racial disparities in the transplant field.

Learn more

Request an Appointment

We are currently experiencing a high volume of inquiries, leading to delayed response times. For faster assistance, please call 1-888-824-0200 to schedule your appointment.

If you have symptoms of an urgent nature, please call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.

You can also make an appointment with our providers by:

– Requesting an online second opinion from our specialists

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Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy at UChicago Medicine

Dr. Rolf Barth explains a minimally invasive kidney donor transplant surgery that leaves a small scar in the belly button.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] About a decade ago, our team refined and developed a technique for really the least invasive approach towards kidney donation. We call it single-port donor nephrectomy, and take advantage of really the first scar that any of us are born with, which is our belly button. We make a small incision, hiding it in the belly button, and put a special instrument through which we insert the camera and the instruments needed to do the operation.

We spend that time for the next period of hour or two separating the kidney from the patient, carefully and meticulously dissecting the blood vessels and the kidney. And at the final step, divide those blood vessels and put the kidney into a special sterilized bag, and stretch out the belly button just large enough to bring the kidney out for the recipient.

At the end of the operation, we close up the belly button. Everyone ends up with an innie. And the incision is not much bigger than your original belly button. We put a little piece of gauze and a Band-Aid over the incision.

It's actually not a full Band-Aid. We cut the Band-Aid in half. And patients go to recovery and wake up and can look down at their tummy and see half a Band-Aid over their belly button, and know that they've not only saved someone's life by donating their kidney, being able to go home with minimal pain and back to full function, and doing these wonderful acts of kidney donation.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

What Leads to a Kidney Transplant?

End-stage chronic kidney disease (also known as ESRD or kidney failure) leads to the loss of kidney function and is the main reason for needing a kidney transplant. For people with kidney failure, a kidney transplant typically eliminates the need for dialysis. Patients with chronic kidney disease can be evaluated for kidney transplant at one of our transplant evaluation clinics. Certain medical conditions can contribute to kidney failure, including:

Kidney Transplant Care Locations

Kidney Transplant Coordinators

We help our patients be as prepared as possible throughout their transplant experience. A kidney transplant coordinator works with each patient to schedule appointments and provide support before and after surgery. The transplant coordinator serves as your personal advocate and is always there to address any questions or concerns. Spanish-speaking patients can work with a bilingual transplant coordinator.

We encourage patients to discuss questions about their treatment plan. Our team will be available to advise patients on all aspects of their care, including tests, procedures, medications, diet and lifestyle.

Virtual Kidney Transplant Education

Patient Stories

Belinda Gray, a patient at UChicago Medicine's transplant weight loss program

Medication-assisted weight loss leads to lifesaving kidney transplant

World's First Back-to-Back Heart-Liver-Kidney Transplants

UChicago Medicine physicians made history in December 2018 after performing two triple-organ transplants within 27 hours, replacing the failing hearts, livers and kidneys of 29-year-olds Sarah McPharlin and Daru Smith.

Learn more about the historic triple-organ transplants

Sarah and Daru doing well several weeks after their triple organ transplant surgeries