It is not possible to survive without kidneys or medical intervention. Kidneys play a vital role in maintaining the body’s internal balance, and their complete failure leads to a rapid accumulation of harmful substances. Without treatment, the body becomes overwhelmed by toxins, which can be fatal within weeks.
The Vital Role of Kidneys
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs, each roughly the size of a fist, situated just below the rib cage on either side of the spine. They filter approximately 120 to 150 quarts of blood daily, removing waste products and excess fluid to produce urine. This process eliminates toxins like urea and creatinine from the bloodstream.
Beyond waste removal, kidneys regulate the body’s fluid balance and maintain a healthy balance of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and calcium. Kidneys also produce hormones that help control blood pressure, stimulate red blood cell production, and contribute to bone health.
What Happens When Kidneys Fail
When kidneys fail, harmful levels of waste products, excess water, and electrolytes build up in the body, a condition known as uremia. This accumulation can cause symptoms like swelling in the hands, feet, and ankles, and shortness of breath due to fluid in the lungs.
The imbalance of minerals and fluids can lead to complications affecting various body systems. Individuals may experience tiredness, nausea, vomiting, and a metallic taste in their mouth. Kidney failure can also cause confusion, muscle weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. Without treatment, these issues can advance to seizures or coma, resulting in death.
Living Without Functional Kidneys: Medical Interventions
Individuals whose kidneys have failed, a condition called end-stage renal disease (ESRD), require medical interventions to survive. The two primary treatments are dialysis and kidney transplantation. These methods replace lost kidney functions, allowing patients to live longer and manage their condition.
Dialysis cleans the blood when kidneys cannot. Hemodialysis involves circulating the patient’s blood through an external machine, a dialyzer, which filters out waste products and excess fluid before returning the cleansed blood to the body. This procedure occurs at a dialysis center three times a week, with each session lasting about three to four hours.
Peritoneal dialysis uses the patient’s abdominal lining, or peritoneum, as a natural filter. A solution is introduced into the abdominal cavity through a catheter, where it absorbs waste products and excess fluid from the blood. After several hours, the fluid containing the waste is drained away. This method offers more flexibility as it can be performed at home, daily.
Kidney transplantation involves surgically placing a healthy donor kidney into the recipient’s body, typically in the lower right or left side of the abdomen. The transplanted kidney’s blood vessels are connected to the recipient’s iliac vessels, and its ureter is attached to the bladder. The new kidney begins functioning within 24 to 48 hours, though some may take several days to weeks to work normally, requiring temporary dialysis.
Life with a Single Kidney
Many individuals live healthy lives with only one functioning kidney. This can occur if they were born with a single kidney, had one surgically removed due to injury or disease, or donated a kidney. The remaining kidney compensates by increasing its filtering capacity.
While one kidney can sustain normal bodily functions, some people may experience health changes over many years, such as developing high blood pressure or protein in their urine. To protect the solitary kidney, precautions are recommended, including maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and avoiding contact sports that could lead to kidney injury. Regular medical check-ups are also advised to monitor kidney function and address issues early.