Kidney transplant surgery takes about three to six hours. The surgeon usually leaves your own kidneys in place, then places the new kidney in the front of your body (in the lower portion of your abdomen, either on the right or left, near the hip bone).
After surgery, you’ll be in the recovery room for several hours and then move directly back to the hospital’s transplant unit.
Your Hospital Stay
A new life with a transplanted kidney begins in the hospital, right after the transplant operation.
Living donor transplant recipients usually remain in the hospital for three to four nights. Deceased donor transplant recipients may need a longer stay, but the average is five to six days.
During the hospital stay, you’ll be carefully monitored and tested. You’ll also receive extensive training on self-care at home and the drugs needed to protect the transplanted organ from rejection (called immunosuppressants).