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winifredsmom posted:
A friend will have his right kidney removed in November. He has a small couch and bed. Is a recliner better to sleep in once I get him home? He is 51, what kind of support, emotional and physical do I need to give to him. What foods do I serve? Just any tips in general will help.

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1 Replies |Report This| Share this:Help In RecoveryA friend will have his right kidney removed in November. He has a small couch and bed. Is a recliner better to sleep in once I get him home? He is 51, what kind of support, emotional and physical do I need to give to him. What foods do I serve? Just any tips in general will help.<br /> <br />Thank You
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John-SKPT responded:
As for comfort, I think it will be a matter of trial and error. And it may change as healing progresses. If the procedure is 'robotic', laparoscopic, then the incisions will be fairly small and the recovery time will be rather brief. If the surgeon needs to do an 'open' procedure, then the recovery time will be a matter of weeks or even months, since one or two ribs may need to be cut in the back.

As for diet, and longer term outcome, it depends greatly on how his other kidney is currently functioning. If function is reasonably good for his age and general health, then the long term outlook is pretty good. The remaining kidney will increase very slowly in size and capacity to take over the load from the excised organ. (Search for "compensatory renal hypertrophy" for more details.) This might go on for a year or longer.

It really depends on the patient's overall health, any current medications, and the reason for the removal of one kidney.

Emotional support? I just cannot guess. Yes it will be mentally traumatic to lose an organ. But if the overall prognosis is good then that will probably pass fairly soon.

There might be dietary limitations at first, but again it is totally a matter of how the remaining kidney is working and what the blood test numbers look like as he recovers.
Report This| Share this:Help In RecoveryAs for comfort, I think it will be a matter of trial and error. And it may change as healing progresses. If the procedure is 'robotic', laparoscopic, then the incisions will be fairly small and the recovery time will be rather brief. If the surgeon needs to do an 'open' procedure, then the recovery time will be a matter of weeks or even months, since one or two ribs may need to be cut in the back.<br /><br />As for diet, and longer term outcome, it depends greatly on how his other kidney is currently functioning. If function is reasonably good for his age and general health, then the long term outlook is pretty good. The remaining kidney will increase very slowly in size and capacity to take over the load from the excised organ. (Search for "compensatory renal hypertrophy" for more details.) This might go on for a year or longer.<br /><br />It really depends on the patient's overall health, any current medications, and the reason for the removal of one kidney.<br /><br />Emotional support? I just cannot guess. Yes it will be mentally traumatic to lose an organ. But if the overall prognosis is good then that will probably pass fairly soon. <br /><br />There might be dietary limitations at first, but again it is totally a matter of how the remaining kidney is working and what the blood test numbers look like as he recovers.
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