Kidney Transplant

Frequently Asked Questions about Living Donor Kidney Transplant

• Who can be a kidney donor?
• How do you donate a kidney?
• What risks are associated with kidney donation?
• When is the transplant scheduled?
• How is the donation surgery performed?
• Will I need any follow-up evaluations?

Who can be a kidney donor?
While it is not necessary for living donors to be related to the recipient, they are usually friends or relatives. The decision to donate an organ is important and must be made by the person and his or her loved ones. You should not, under any circumstances, feel pressured to donate an organ. Our experienced transplant team stands ready to advise and assist you in this process.

General requirements of living kidney donors are:

• age 18 to 70 years
• good general health
• normal kidney function and anatomy, as determined in the evaluation process

Conditions that would exclude a person as a living kidney donor:

• diabetes
• certain forms of cancer
• intravenous drug use
• certain infectious diseases, such as AIDS or hepatitis

How do you donate a kidney?
When you agree to donate a kidney, you need to be evaluated at Mayo Clinic's Dialysis and Transplant Center. You will first have a brief telephone interview. Based on this information, a kit for blood sampling may be mailed to you. You then take this kit to your local medical lab or hospital and have a blood sample drawn. Instructions for mailing the samples to Mayo Clinic are included in the kit.

If these results prove suitable, you will need to have a medical evaluation to make certain that the donation will not cause you harm. Much of this can be performed by your own health-care providers.

At a suitable time the donor must travel to Rochester to meet with a Mayo Clinic nephrologist (kidney specialist) and surgeon and complete the assessment. These Mayo physicians will discuss all aspects of the testing and donation with you.

If at any time a test result shows that you do not meet the criteria for donation, the evaluation is stopped. One of every five potential donors is found not to be suitable for donation.

What risks are associated with kidney donation?
Although some risks are associated with any major operation, donating one kidney does not pose a major risk to a healthy donor. Studies show that the remaining kidney will continue function normally and will compensate for the loss of the other kidney.

Kidney donation should not restrict or interfere with your lifestyle after full recovery from the surgery. There is no routine need for any special diet or medication after donation.

When is the transplant scheduled?
When a suitable donor is identified, the transplant is scheduled at a convenient time for both donor and recipient. Every attempt is made to identify a time convenient for both parties. This is usually four to eight weeks after the completion of the evaluation. Donor and recipient both return to Rochester a few days before the transplant.

How is the donation surgery performed?
The term "nephrectomy" refers to the surgical removal of a kidney. Two types of surgery can be used to accomplish this:

• Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
  This operation is performed by using a "scope" to peer into the abdomen through a small incision. This approach makes it possible to locate, secure, and remove the kidney through a surprisingly small wound. This "minimally invasive" surgery allows for a faster recovery than with the traditional operation. Donors are generally able to leave the hospital one or two days after the surgery and can often resume work within two to three weeks.
  
  
• Traditional Donor Nephrectomy
  This operation is performed using an incision across the flank on one side of the back. The kidney is secured and removed under direct vision. Most donors need to stay in the hospital for four to five days and can usually resume work in three to six weeks, depending on the type of work they do. This method is widely used in other transplant centers, but is rarely required at Mayo Clinic.

Will I need any follow-up evaluations?
Six to nine months following your surgery you will need to have blood and urine tests and be evaluated by a nephrologist. The kidney transplant coordinator will schedule these follow-up tests, which do not require a stay in the hospital. The results will give a good indication of the function of your remaining kidney.