Some kidney transplant centers allow you to be a good samaritan donor, which means you can initiate a chain of donations by donating your kidney to a stranger. When you donate your kidney, the recipient’s loved one will donate hers, and so on and so forth. This will probably not directly impact anyone you know personally, but it will help a lot of people. If you don’t want to donate your kidney while you are still alive, but you want to help someone after you die, you can register to donate all of your organs or specific organs by signing up on your specific state’s registry or indicating your preferences on your driver’s license. [2] X Research source
If you are donating to a specific person, you must contact the transplant center that has approved them for a transplant. If the person has not yet been approved, you will not be able to proceed with donating your kidney until that happens. [4] X Research source If you are not doing a direct donation, you have a choice regarding which facility you work with. Contact multiple facilities and ask questions regarding their success rates, their policies for matching donors and recipients, and the financial assistance they offer in order to choose the right one for you. Consult the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network for a complete list of transplant centers in the United States.
You must have a compatible blood type in order to donate your kidney to a specific individual. People who have type A blood can accept blood from donors with type A or type O. People with type B blood can receive blood from people with type B or type O. People with type AB blood can receive blood from someone with any blood type. People with type O blood can only receive blood from a donor with type O blood. The antibodies in your blood must also be compatible with those in the recipient’s blood. In general, the more antibodies that recipient has, the more difficult it will be to find a match. Doctors also consider antigen matching. You do not need to be an exact match in order to donate, but research has found that an exact match does increase the success rate of the transplant. If you have passed all of the other tests, doctors will then perform a cross matching test, which may actually be a series of several tests. Doctors will collect cells and serum (blood without the cells in it) from both the donor and the recipient and mix them together to see if the recipient’s body is likely to reject the donor’s organ. If these tests come back negative, you will be considered a match. Keep in mind that if you are not a match for your loved one, you still have the option of participating in a paired exchange donation program, which will greatly increase the chances that your loved one will receive a kidney in a timely fashion. [6] X Research source
Your doctor will likely perform blood tests, urine tests, x-rays, an EKG, and a CT angiogram to check your overall health and look for any abnormalities of your kidneys. [8] X Research source Certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes and liver disease, may disqualify you from donating your kidney. If you are a smoker, you will be required to quit at least one month before undergoing surgery to have your kidney removed. [9] X Research source You may also be disqualified from donating a kidney if you have certain diseases that could be passed on to the recipient, such as HIV or hepatitis. You will also be required to undergo a psychological examination in order to confirm that you are aware of the risks of donating your kidney and are choosing to do it of your own free will. If you have any health conditions, you might require a pre-surgical clearance from your treating doctor in order to be approved for surgery.
Bleeding Infection Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism) Death
While your body is perfectly capable of functioning normally with only one kidney, you will be at a disadvantage should your remaining kidney fail. If you end up needing a kidney transplant, you will be given preference as a prior donor. [12] X Research source Kidney donors may have a somewhat higher chance of developing high blood pressure. [13] X Research source Having only one kidney may prevent you from being eligible for certain military, police, and fire fighting jobs. [14] X Research source
Expenses for travel to and from the transplant center Childcare Lost wages during your recovery period Medical expenses related to long-term surgical complications
A laparoscopic procedure means that instead of making a large incision and the surgeon using their hands to do the surgery inside your body, a very small set of incisions are made and instruments with long handles are inserted into the holes. The surgeon uses the instruments to do the surgery without ever opening up the abdomen. The laparoscopic procedure may not be an option for all patients, depending on their surgical histories and the anatomy of the individual’s kidney and whether it can be accessed and removed with the laparoscopic instruments alone.
Make sure your doctor knows about all of the medications you are taking. You may be required to stop some medications prior to surgery.
It’s a good idea to have a caretaker available to help you with daily activities, like preparing meals and You may have to spend a few days recovering in the hospital before you are sent home. People who are in good shape tend to recover from surgery faster than people who are out of shape, so you might want to begin an exercise regimen before your surgery. [19] X Research source Moving around in the days following your surgery will help you avoid complications, such as blood clots. [20] X Research source
It is also important to continue getting regular medical checkups throughout your life. Your doctor may want to monitor your kidney function to make sure your remaining kidney is functioning properly.
You should not do any heavy lifting in the weeks following your surgery. Your doctor will provide you with specific guidelines. Depending on the type of work you do, you may not be medically cleared to return to work for several weeks. The more strenuous your job, the longer you will be out of work. Women are typically advised not to become pregnant for six months after donating a kidney. Some doctors recommend that kidney donors avoid contact sports like football and wrestling, due to the potential for injury to your remaining kidney.
