After a kidney is removed, the remaining kidney takes over the work of both. Most people with only 1 kidney have no long-term health problems. However, you should avoid anything that could harm the remaining kidney. It is very important to talk with your health care provider if you start taking new medicines or if you have a bladder infection or other issues that could affect your kidney. If the remaining kidney is damaged, you may need dialysis. With dialysis, a special machine does the kidneys' job of filtering the blood.