As a 2 time kidney recipient (from mother-17 yrs) ( from sister 15 yrs and going strong), I have had both situations. As a child both of my diseased kidnays were removed for me to be able to withstand a kidney transplant 3 months later... I was on dialysis until then. After 17 yrs I had rejection and received my sister's kidney. The previous kidney was left in to be the weakest organ in case the body tried to reject.. so I now have two kidneys in the abdomenal area... one working and the otherjust sitting.

Mike is correct. I am a kidney transplant patient (4 years now with no rejection!) and the transplanted kidney is placed in the peritoneal cavity of your lower abdomen. I suffer from polycystic kidney disease (same as Cojo) and from what I've heard and read in the media, he still had some function and had not begun dialysis. Considering his age, PKD will progress and he will be on dialysis soon (if not already). Dialysis stinks but I referred to it as my necessary evil for survival! I ultimately did end up going through a bi-lateral nephrectomy as my natural kidneys grew to be the size of 2 footballs (about 30 pounds) and they were causing other problems due to toxic fluid from the cysts leaking into my blood. All things considered...I'm doing great and I hope Cojo will soon be back and entertaining his public with his fantastic style and wit!

Hello One's kidneys are not removed when a new kidney is transplanted into the recipient. do you know- when you are wearing jeans and there is a small change pocket on the right side within the full pocket on the jeans? That is the location where the new kidney is transplanted with its ureter tied to the bladder. The only time one's own(old) kidneys are removed is if they are infected or are causing high blood pressure or some other rare complication. In 99.99 % of kidney transplants, the recipient still has their own kidneys and the third one that is transplanted is a bonus :) Thanks Mike

I'm just guessing here, but maybe that's a precaution in cases such as his where the transplanted one is rejected. If his current ones were useful enough to sustain him for the time being, they may have removed them later if the new one wasnt rejected.