Kidney transplantation is a surgical procedure used to replace a damaged or diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from a donor. The donated kidney may come from a living donor, such as a family member or friend, or from a deceased donor. Kidney transplantation is typically used as a treatment for end-stage renal disease, and can also be used to treat some cases of acute kidney failure. The procedure involves surgically connecting the donor kidney to the recipient’s blood vessels and urinary tract, and then allowing the new organ to take over all of the functions of the old one.