Preparing for Kidney Surgery | Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation | UC Davis Children's Hospital

Preparing for kidney surgery

If your child requires surgery at UC Davis Children’s Hospital for conditions related to renal function — including kidney transplantation — our nephrologists will be closely involved. In preparation for a transplant procedure, our kidney specialists will perform a pre-transplant “work up” to ensure that the patient is fully prepared for the procedure.

The pre-op service includes consultations with the transplant surgeon, as well as with other specialists as needed — perhaps dietitians, a social service worker, or a psychiatrist. Together, these experts assess the ability of the patient to withstand the emotional rigors of major surgery and the likelihood of the patient to comply with a medication regimen and to keep follow-up appointments.

Our team of kidney specialists continue to maintain close involvement with transplant patients in order to minimize their risk of rejection of the transplanted kidney.

Children who undergo surgery at UC Davis Children’s Hospital are treated in our state-of the-art Children’s Surgery Center, specifically designed for the unique needs of children.

An important distinctionA level I Children’s Surgery Center
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UC Davis Children’s Hospital was the first hospital on the West Coast, and only the fourth in the nation, to earn verification as a level I Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the world standard bearer for surgical quality.

Level I centers have children’s surgeons in every discipline, with pediatric anesthesiologists and dedicated operating rooms for children available 24 hours a day.

A closer look at the surgery center