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Where is a donor kidney placed during a kidney transplant operation?
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transplant
British surgeon Andrew Ready flushing a donated kidney during a transplant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, England, 2006.
During a kidney transplant operation, the donor kidney is implanted in the iliac fossa. This is a space located in the groin area, positioned just below and to the side of the umbilicus.1
To facilitate the connection of blood vessels, surgeons typically place a right kidney into the left iliac fossa, and a left kidney into the right iliac fossa. The renal artery and vein of the donor organ are then connected to the recipient's iliac artery and vein, while the ureter is attached either to the existing ureter or directly to the bladder. In most modern procedures, the recipient's original kidneys are left in place unless they are infected or physically obstruct the implantation of the new organ.1