Renal Transplant Center

What we do

[Kidney function and renal failure at the end stage]
Kidneys are organs on the back slightly above the waist, one on each side (usually two per person). The main function of the kidneys is to remove waste products in the body by filtering the blood to make urine and excreting it, and to keep and adjust the amount and composition of body fluid (electrolytes such as sodium and potassium and the balance of acidity and alkalinity). In addition, it also plays a role in the secretion of hormones that maintain blood pressure and hormones that make blood, and the activation of vitamin D that maintains bones.

[About dialysis]
There are two types of dialysis, "hemodialysis" and "peritoneal dialysis". Although the treatment with dialysis has advanced in recent years, it is not a fundamental treatment because it is a symptomatic treatment that merely substitutes one-tenth the function of a normal kidney.

[About renal transplantation]
Kidney transplantation is a treatment method to restore the function of the lost kidney by transplanting the kidney donated to the end-stage renal failure (recipient), and is the only radical treatment method for end-stage renal failure. You will be released from dialysis, and you will be able to reduce the quality of life (QOL) and complications that dialysis suffers, and you will be able to live a life similar to healthy people.

[Conditions for living kidney transplantation]
In order to receive treatment by living-donor transplantation, certain conditions are required for both the donor (donor) and the recipient (recipient) of the kidney.

[Examination before living kidney transplantation]
Before performing a living kidney transplant, first, blood is collected in an outpatient department, and a donor-recipient histocompatibility test (organ compatibility) and an infectious disease test are performed. As a result of histocompatibility test, strong rejection may be expected and transplantation may be determined to be difficult. In addition, the recipient will not be able to receive some vaccination after starting the immunosuppressive drug, so the recipient will receive the necessary vaccine before surgery.

[Biological kidney transplantation]
Recipients are basically hospitalized one week before transplant surgery and begin using immunosuppressants. If there is an antibody (anti-donor antibody) to the donor that is revealed by blood group mismatch transplantation or histocompatibility test, plasmapheresis to remove the antibody is also performed. Donors are hospitalized the day before transplantation.

[Life after transplantation]
After transplantation, not only the recipient but also the donor needs to visit the clinic regularly.
Recipients will be examined at the outpatient department of renal transplantation, including kidney function, to check whether side effects of immunosuppressive drugs, infections, or malignant diseases have occurred. As a guideline for the interval between visits, it is necessary to visit the doctor once or twice a week for up to 3 months after the transplantation, once every 2 weeks for the next 3 months and once a month for 6 months or more.

[Results of renal transplantation (quoted from the Japan Society for Transplantation 2016 organ transplant factbook)]
In the year 2015, 1,661 renal transplants were performed in Japan, of which 1,494 were living kidney transplantation and 167 were donated kidney transplants. The engraftment rate of transplanted kidneys has improved with the progress of immunosuppressants. Regarding the 1-year engraftment rate and the 5-year engraftment rate in recent years (2010-2014), 98.7%, 94.6%, and The port rates are 96.4% and 87.5%.

Conditions we handle

Renal failure at end stage: impaired kidney function that is undergoing or requires dialysis soon

Number of cases

Please see "Operation Results".

Operation results

Living kidney transplantation
2018: 3 cases
2017: 9 cases

List of Doctors

Deputy Chief, Department of Urology; Assistant Chief, Surgical Oncology; Director in charge of surgery, Renal Transplant Center

Atsuhiko OCHI

Subspeciality
Urological / retroperitoneal tumors (renal cell carcinoma, upper tract urothelial carcinoma, bladder cancer, adrenal tumor), renal failure (renal transplantation)

Department name	Renal Transplant Center
Medical School	Kanazawa University
Special Qualifications	M.D., Ph.D. JUA Board Certified Urologist / Instructor Certified Urologist in the Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System of the Japanese Urological Association and the Japanese Society of Endourology and Robotics Board Certified Physician in Endoscopic Surgery of the Japanese Society for Endoscopic Surgery (urologic laparoscopy) Certified Transplant Physician of the Japan Society for Transplantation Certified Specialist in Renal Transplantation of the Japanese Society for Clinical Renal Transplantation Certified Physician of the Japanese Board of Cancer Therapy Certified Specialist / Instructor of the Japanese Sarcoma Association Da Vinci console surgeon certificate Completed the clinical training instructor workshop Completed the palliative care praining program Completed the online medical care training program designated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Education & Career	Mar 2005: Graduated from School of Medicine, Kanazawa University Apr 2005: Junior Resident, Postgraduate Education Center, Kameda Medical Center Apr 2007: Senior Rsident, Department of Urology Apr 2011: Assistant Chief, Department of Urology Oct 2016: Assistant Chief, Department of Urology; Staff Physician, Renal Transplant Center Mar 2017: Assistant Chief, Department of Urology / Renal Transplant Center Dec 2018: Assistant Chief, Department of Urology; Director in charge of surgery, Renal Transplant Center Sep 2020: Completed the doctoral course, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences (Department of Clinical Anatomy), Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Medical and Dental University) Sep 2021: Visiting Professor (laparoscopic urological surgery), Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University (Thailand) Apr 2022: Assistant Chief, Department of Urology; Assistant Chief, Surgical Oncology; Director in charge of surgery, Renal Transplant Center Aug 2023: Deputy Chief, Department of Urology; Assistant Chief, Surgical Oncology; Director in charge of surgery, Renal Transplant Center

Chief of Nephrology & Hypertension

Tomo SUZUKI

Subspeciality
Kidney Diseases In General ， Nephritis ， Renal Pathology

Department name	Renal Transplant Center
Medical School	St. Marianna University School of Medicine
Special Qualifications	Board Certified Specialist of The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine Board Certified Specialist of Japanese Society of Nephrology Board Certified Specialist of The Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Board Certified Specialist of Japanese Society for Apheresis
Education & Career	2006 Mar. Graduated from St. Marianna University School of Medicine 2006 Apr. Junior Resident，The University of Tokyo Hospital 2007 Apr. Junior Resident，ASAMA General Hospital 2008 Apr. Senior Resident of Nephrology & Hypertension， Kameda Medical Center 2011 Apr. allergy，National Hospital Organization Chiba East Hospital 2012 Apr. Term Assistant Professor，St.Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital 2012 Aug. St. Marianna University School of Medicine， Yokohama City Seibu Hospital 2013 Apr. nephrology，Inagi Municipal Hospital 2014 Apr. Renal vascular pathology，University of Tsukuba Faculty of Medicine 2016 Apr. Assistant Professor，St.Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital 2018 Oct. Chief of Nephrology & Hypertension，Kameda Medical Center Nephrology & Hypertension，St.Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital (part-time)

Vice Chief of Surgical Oncology

Jun YASHIMA

Subspeciality
Abdominal cavity
Retroperitoneal sarcoma

Department name	Renal Transplant Center
Medical School	Yokohama City University School of Medicine
Special Qualifications	Board Certified Specialist and Advanced Certified Speialist of Japan Surgical Society Board Certified Specialist and Advanced Certified Speialist of Japan Sarcoma Association Board Certified Physician of The Japan Society for Transplantation Board Certified Physician of Japanese Society for Clinical Renal Transplantation Board Certified Specialist and Advanced Certified Speialist of The Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy
Education & Career	1998 Mar. Graduated from Yokohama City University School of Medicine 1998 Jun. Kidney Center， Tokyo Women’s Medical University 2003 Jun. Hachinohe 99 clinic 2005 Mar. Kidney Center， Tokyo Women’s Medical University 2008 Apr. Assistant Professor，Transplant surgery， International University of Health and Welfare Atami Hospital 2010 Jul. Lecturer，Transplant surgery， International University of Health and Welfare Atami Hospital 2014 Apr. Associate Professor，Transplant surgery， International University of Health and Welfare Atami Hospital 2019 Apr. Professor，Transplant surgery， International University of Health and Welfare Atami Hospital 2020 Apr. Vice Chief of Surgical Oncology， Kameda Medical Center

Assistant Chief, Department of Urology; Renal Transplant Center (in charge of surgery)

Minoru NAKAZONO

Subspeciality
Urological malignancy

Department name	Renal Transplant Center
Medical School	Kobe University
Education & Career	Mar 2014: Graduated from Kobe University School of Medicine Apr 2014: Junior Resident, Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital Apr 2016: Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine Oct 2016: Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital Oct 2017: Jikei University Hospital Apr 2018: Kosei Hospital Apr 2019: Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center Apr 2019: Jikei University Katsushika Medical Center July 2020: Kameda Medical Center July 2022: Jikei University Hospital Jan 2023: Kosei Hospital Apr 2024: Joined Kameda Medical Center as Assistant Chief, Department of Urology / Renal Transplant Center (in charge of surgery)