Organ Transplant Rejection

Most recipients experience organ rejection at least once after their surgery. The most common symptoms of this rejection include:

• Fever
• Body pain
• Blood in urine
• Lower urine output
• Higher blood pressure
• Sudden weight fluctuations
• Higher blood creatinine levels
• Swelling in the hands and feet
• Swelling and pus near the incision
• Pain and tenderness over the transplant area

The symptoms may not always be recognizable to you. That is why you should get regular checkups after the procedure to ensure your body is not rejecting the new organ.

With early detection, you can usually reverse the rejection and save the organ. Recipients can benefit from immunosuppressive organ transplant medications. These anti-rejection medications are given in two phases to weaken the body’s immune system.

The initial induction phase administers a high dose, while the maintenance phase administers a lower dosage for the long term. The dosages and combinations of medications may vary based on the transplanted organ and the type of rejection.

Recipients must take these medications daily to avoid losing the new organ. However, these drugs have a downside as they suppress the overall immune function. This suppression does not occur with IVIG therapy.