If you or a family member are dealing with a kidney condition,

ABO Blood Group: Phrase used to define blood types. The types are A, B, AB and O. Type O is the universal donor – can donate to any other type. Type AB is the universal recipient – can receive from any other type. Rh factor (positive or negative) is irrelevant for transplantation.

Absorption: The degree and speed at which a drug enters the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal system.

Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN): Reversible damage to the renal tubules that help make urine. This damage causes the transplanted kidney to have a delay in functioning. (ATN may be caused by the length of time the organ was stored before it was transplanted, the quality of the organ itself, or by the anti-rejection medications) There is no treatment for ATN except time. The patient may be on dialysis while the damaged cells get better.

Alkaline Phosphates: An enzyme produced by liver (and other) cells; elevated blood levels of this substance may indicate abnormal function of the liver or other organs.

Allograft (Allogenetic graft or homograft): A graft between two individuals who are of the same species (i.e. human).

Anemic: Low red blood cell count.

Anesthesia: The medication given by an anesthesiologist (specially trained doctor or nurse) which results in a sleep and relaxation state in order to do a painless operation. "Local" numbs an area; "General" puts the patient to sleep.

Anesthetic: A medication that reduces pain by dulling sensation.

Antacid: A medication that aids in protecting the digestive system and relieves heartburn and digestive discomfort.

Antibody: A Substance (protein) formed by the body’s immune system as a reaction to foreign matter, such as bacteria.

Antibody Screen: A blood test that determines the percent of antibodies present. The higher the antibody screen level, the more difficult it is to find a compatible kidney. (PRA = panel reactive antibody)

Antigen: A foreign substance or molecule on the surface of a cell which is specific and unique to that individual. Each person receives three antigens from their father and three from their mother. Arteriogram (angiogram): An x-ray of the (renal) arteries that reveals their size and shape. A dye is used in this process.

Arteriosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries. Fat deposits collect inside the arteries, blocking blood flow to the kidneys.

Atherosclerosis: A buildup of fats in the lining of the arteries that may interfere with the flow of blood.

Bacteria: Small organisms (germs) that can cause disease.

B cell: A specialized white blood cell responsible for the body’s immunity. B cells play a central role in antibody production.

Biopsy: The removal and examination of tissue, cells or fluids from the living body which is examined under a microscope to diagnose a problem or illness. For transplant recipients, a biopsy is used to determine if ATN, rejection, medication toxicity or infection is taking place.

Bladder: The hollow organ that receives urine from the kidneys and stores it until urination.. During urination, the bladder empties through a tube called the urethra.

Blood transfusion: The injection of donated blood into the bloodstream of a recipient. One unit of blood is equal to approximately one pint of blood.

Blood typing: A test between the person getting the kidney and the person giving the kidney to match for a compatible (one blood will not cause a reaction with the other) blood type.

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): This a waste product, usually excreted by the kidneys. BUN values can rise when the kidneys are not working properly or when a person is dehydrated.

Brain Death: Death that occurs when the brain permanently stops working as determined by a neurological surgeon. When this occurs, artificial support systems can maintain functions such as heartbeat and respiration for a few days.

Cadaver Kidney: Kidney that has been surgically removed from a person who has been legally declared brain dead by a special team of doctors.

Cadaver Kidney Transplant: Transplant in which the kidney has been donated from someone unrelated and unknown to the recipient whose family gave consent for organ donation at the time of death.

Catheter: A small rubber tube inserted into the urethra to drain urine out of the body into a collection bag.

CellCept: An immunosuppressant manufactured by Roche. The generic name is myophenolate mofetil.

Cholesterol: A form of fat that performs necessary functions in the body but can also cause heart disease. Cholesterol is found in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products.

Coagulation: Blood clotting.

Corticosteroids: A category of immunosuppressive medications that includes predisone and prednisolone.

Creatinine: A waste product of metabolism (body energy) normally removed from the body by the kidney. When the kidneys are damaged, the creatinine values in the blood will increase.

Crossmatch: A blood test in which blood samples of the recipient and donor are mixed together. Presence of reactivity is identified. If there is no reaction, it is a negative cross-match, and the recipient can accept blood or tissue from that donor. If reaction between the samples is present, it is a positive cross-match. The recipient cannot accept tissue or blood from that donor, and the transplant is not done.

Cyclosporine: An immunosuppressive drug that allows the donated kidney to be accepted by the recipient's body. This drug may be marketed under the names Neoral or Gengraf.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV): A common viral infection that affects the lungs and other organs. It is a member of the family of herpes viruses. This virus can reactivate during Immunosuppression after a transplant.

Diabetes: A disease in which the body is not able to use sugar well because of a lack of insulin or because it cannot use insulin properly.

Diabetic nephropathy: Kidney failure resulting from diabetes. Damaged blood vessels make the kidneys unable to filter toxins properly so that the kidneys become diseased.

Dialysis: The process of artificially cleansing the blood in persons whose kidneys no longer function properly. Dialysis can be done either by hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

Diastolic: The bottom of two blood pressure numbers, which measures blood pressure when the heart is at rest.

Donor: A person who gives a kidney for transplantation

Edema: Excess fluid in the body tissues. One example of edema may be swollen ankles.

Electrocardiogram (EKG): A tracing of the electrical rhythm of the heart, made with an instrument called an electrocardiograph. This tells the doctor how well the heart is beating.

Electrolyte: A normal substance in the body that conducts electricity. Electrolytes include sodium, chloride and potassium.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD): The final stage of kidney disease when the kidneys are not working. Treatment by dialysis or kidney transplantation is necessary to sustain life. Another name for ESRD is chronic kidney failure.

FK506 or Tacrolimus: An immunosuppressant drug manufactured by Fujisawa. The trade name is Prograf. This medication is given to prevent rejection. It is monitored by FK506 levels in the blood.

Gastroenterologist: A physician who specializes in the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract.

Gingival Hypertrophy: Enlargement of the gums. It is a common side effect of Cyclosporine therapy, but often can be managed with good oral hygiene.

Glucose: A type of sugar found in the blood. This is elevated when a person has diabetes

Graft: An organ or tissue that is transplanted.

Graft failure: The transplanted organ’s inability to perform normal function.

Graft survival: The transplanted organ’s ability to function properly. The potential for graft survival is increased when the recipient and donor are closely matched and when immunosuppressive therapy is used.

Helper T Cell: The specialized white blood cell that tells other parts of the immune system to combat infection or foreign material.

Hematocrit: A measure of the red blood cell content of blood.

Hemodialysis: A process that purifies the blood through a machine which is often called an “artificial kidney.”

Herpes: A family of viruses that can infect humans. Herpes simplex causes lip and genital sores. Herpes Zoster causes shingles.

Hirsutism: A excessive increase in hair growth, especially male-pattern hair growth in a female. Hirsutism is a common side effect of cyclosporine therapy, but is easily treated with depilatory creams or other methods of hair removal.

Histocompatibility: A term that reflects the similarity in the tissues of the donor and recipient. OR: The examination of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in a patient, often referred to as “tissue typing” or “genetic matching.” Tissue typing is routinely performed for all donors and recipients in kidney transplantation to help match the donor with the most suitable recipient. This helps to decrease the likelihood of “rejecting” the transplanted organ.

Hormones: Substances that are made by the glands but cause activity elsewhere in the body.

Human Leukocyte Antigens: A genetically determined series of proteins that are present on human white blood cells (leukocytes) and tissues.

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Compatibility: A blood test which determines the genetically determined series of markers (antigens) present on human white blood cells (leukocytes) and on tissues of an individual. This test is also known as tissue typing.

Hypertension: Abnormally high blood pressure. Hypertension can damage the body by overworking the heart and damaging the blood vessels.

Immune Response: The immune system’s normal and expected defensive reaction to any foreign matter in the body, including the transplanted kidney.

Immune System: The system that protects the body from invasion by foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses and from cancer cells. Immunity: A condition of being able to resist foreign substances and germs, such as those that cause infection.

Immunosuppressant Medication: Medication that helps prevent rejection of a transplanted organ. These are sometimes called anti-rejection medications. Examples include: Prograf, Neoral, CellCept and Prednisone.

Immunosuppression: Suppression of natural immune responses.

Incompatible: Not of suitable composition to be combined or mixed with another agent or substance, without resulting in an undesirable reaction.

Insulin: A hormone made by the pancreas. Insulin helps the body to use the sugar in the blood to give the body energy.

Internist: A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and medical treatment of adults. Subspecialties include nephrology, hematology and cardiology.

Intravenous (IV): Giving medicines or fluids directly through a vein.

Kidney: One of two bean-shaped organs located above the waist on either side of the spine. Kidneys filter impurities from the blood and maintain the body’s fluid balance through the production of urine.

Kidney failure, acute: In this case the kidneys stop working very quickly - within a few hours or days. In many cases patients recover from acute renal failure and the kidneys resume function over time.

Kidney failure, chronic: In this case, the kidneys have been failing over a long period of time. They usually will not begin working well again and so the patient will need permanent dialysis or transplantation. If the kidneys work a little, the patients may continue to make urine even after they begin dialysis.

Laparoscopic Surgery: A type of surgery that uses a tube containing a tiny camera that allows the surgeon to see inside the abdominal cavity. Incisions made during this type of surgery tend to be smaller than with conventional types of surgery.

Leukocyte: A white blood cell which helps fight infection.

Living-Unrelated Donor: A person who donates an organ who is not a blood relative of the donor. Usually a living donor is “emotionally” related to the recipient, such as a spouse, in-law or friend.

Living-Related Donor: A blood relative who donates an organ.

Match: The compatibility between recipient and donor. In general, the more closely the donor and recipient match, the greater the potential for a successful transplant.

Medicare: Government-provided medical insurance that was begun under the Social Security Act. It covers most patients with end-stage renal disease

Neoral: A medication used to prevent rejection. It is a formulation of cyclosporine. It is easily absorbed and therapeutic levels are reached quickly.

Nephrectomy: Surgical removal of the kidney from the body.

Nephrologist: A physician who specializes in the medical treatment of kidney disorders and who works with the transplant team.

Noncompliance: Failure to follow the instructions of one’s health care providers, such as not taking medications or not showing up for clinic visits.

Orally: By mouth.

Organ Preservation: Method for keeping organs viable between the time they are procured and the time they are transplanted. The length of time that organs and tissues can be kept alive outside the body varies, depending on the organ, the preservation fluid and the temperature.

Organ Procurement Organization (OPO): An organization that coordinates the retrieval preservation and transportation of cadaver organs for transplantation. All OPO’s are members of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). The Organ Procurement Organization which covers eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware is the Gift of Life Donor Procurement Organization.

Orthoclone OKT3: An immunosuppressive drug which works by making the recipient’s immune cells less sensitive to foreign substances, including the donated kidney. It is developed from mouse antibodies.

Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA): A blood test which measures the immune system activity within the body. The PRA level is higher when more antibodies are made.

Peritoneal Dialysis: process that removes wastes from the body using the patient’s peritoneal membrane (located in the abdomen) as a filter.

Platelet: A small blood cell needed for normal blood clotting.

Polycystic Kidney Disease: An inherited type of kidney disease in which the kidney contains many cysts. Kidney failure often occurs in middle age.

Potassium: A mineral essential for body function.

Prednisone: A medication used after transplantation to help prevent rejection. It is included in the family of steroid medications.

Prophylactic Medication: A medication that helps prevent disease.

Red blood cells: The part of the blood that carries oxygen to the tissues.

Rejection: The response of the body’s immune system to a transplanted organ. The body recognizes the new kidney as foreign tissue and attacks it. The two types of rejection are acute and chronic.. If the rejection episode is not successfully treated, the graft will fail.

Renal: Another name for kidney.

Retransplantation: A second or third transplant, if the first transplant does not work.

Retroperitoneal: The area of the body where the kidneys are located. It is behind the abdominal cavity.

Sensitized: Being immunized, or able to mount an immune response, against an antigen by previous exposure to that antigen.

Shingles: A herpes virus infections (herpes Zoster) that usually affects a nerve, causing pain in one area of the body.

Sodium: A component of table salt (sodium chloride); an electrolyte that is the main salt in blood.

Stenosis: A narrowing of passage in the body.

Stricture: narrowing of passage in the body.

Survival Rates: The percentage of transplants that are functioning at the end of a given time frame (graft survival) or the percentage of transplant patients alive at the end of a given time frame (patient survival). When the United Network for Organ Sharing reports survival rates, they first made adjustments for such factors as severity of illness or age of the patient.

Systolic: The top of the two blood pressure numbers, which measures the maximum blood pressure reached as blood is pumped out of the heart chambers.

T cells: White blood cells responsible for the body’s immunity. T cells can destroy cells infected by viruses, graft cells and other altered cells.

Tissue typing: A blood test performed on the recipient and the potential donor prior to transplant to determine the degree of match between the donor’s and recipient’s HLA antigens (histocompatibility).

Transplant: The process of surgically placing a an organ from one person into another person.

Transplant Coordinator: A nurse who specializes in the education and care of transplant candidates, transplant recipients and living donors.

Triglycerides: A form of fat that the body made from sugar, alcohol and excess calories.

Ultrasound: A diagnostic radiologic procedure that uses silent sound waves to create a picture of the kidney. An ultrasound may be used after transplant surgery to ensure that the transplanted kidney is working.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS): The organization which ensures that all patients have a fair chance to receive the organ they need. UNOS matches organ donors with recipients and manages the list for those awaiting transplant.

Ureter: Tube that carries urine from a kidney to the bladder.

Urethra: The tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Urine: The fluid produced by the kidneys and stored in the bladder.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): An infection in the urethra, ureters and/or bladder.

Urinate: "To empty your bladder"; "to pass your water"; "to void."

Urologist: A physician who specializes in the treatment or urinary organs and tracts, such as the kidney, bladder and urethra.

Virus: A microscopic organism (germ) that may cause infection.

Waiting List: A list that is maintained by the transplant center and by UNOS of patients who have been fully evaluated for a transplant and are ready to be called for an available organ.

X-ray, chest: This is another part of the evaluation process. Pictures of the lungs can show whether they are healthy enough to go through the stress of surgery. X-rays also show any other problems that need further work-up; for example, lung cancer. After surgery, chest x-rays are done to rule out infections, or they may be done every year as part of a follow-up routine.