Living kidney donation
Get a deeper dive into living kidney donation and what to expect as the donor and recipient.
Living kidney donation involves transferring a healthy kidney from a donor to a recipient whose kidneys are failing.
Kidney failure treatment options
People with kidney failure have multiple treatment options, including dialysis and both deceased and living kidney donation. Kidney transplants often provide a better quality of life than dialysis. A living donor kidney often lasts much longer than a kidney from a deceased donor.
How to become a living kidney donor
Often done between biological relatives, a spouse, or friend. Both the donor and recipient are tested to make sure their blood type and immune systems are compatible.
For donors healthy enough to donate but not compatible with their intended recipient, paired kidney exchange (swap) exists. You donate to a compatible recipient and their donor donates to your recipient.
You can anonymously donate a kidney as a gift to a person on the wait list who needs it. Your kidney is given based on medical compatibility.
Kidney donation surgery
Kidney donation surgery is done minimally invasively with a few small incisions. You will be placed under general anesthesia and get a nerve block at the end for pain relief.
Often the donor and recipient surgeries happen at or near the same time. Most living kidney donors stay in the hospital for one to two days. You will receive post-surgery care instructions before being sent home.
After kidney donation surgery
It’s important to stay healthy and talk to your doctor before starting any new medicines, including over-the-counter medicines, after surgery.
Your care team will follow you closely after donation and schedule follow-up appointments at 6, 12, and 24 months.
At these appointments, your care team will check your blood pressure, and blood and urine for kidney function.
You should have your blood pressure checked every six months, and a urine and blood test for kidney function once a year for life.
Risks and side effects of kidney donation
Even though the procedure is done minimally invasively, it comes with risks and potential side effects.
Short-term risks
- Pain
- Bleeding from surgery
- Pneumonia
- Blood clots in your legs that could move to your lungs
- Injury to surrounding tissue or other organs
- Risk from anesthesia
- Death during the procedure
Long-term risks
- Hernia through one of your port site incisions
- Developing high blood pressure
- Your existing kidney not working as well as normal (reduced kidney function)
- Kidney failure, may need kidney transplant in future
Previous kidney donors who need a kidney transplant in the future are given priority on the transplant wait list.
Psychological effects
- Being worried about what might happen to your donated kidney after transplantation
- Issues with body image due to scarring
- Issues with health insurance in the future