Kidney Transplant Program

Become a Living Donor

Because of the shortage of available organs and the successful outcome following kidney transplants from living, nonrelated donors, we encourage transplants between spouses, friends and even strangers. In fact, nearly one-quarter of live donor transplants now come from donors who are not blood relatives.

Jefferson's Kidney Transplant Program routinely works with living donors and their recipients – helping to facilitate kidney transplantation between relatives and nonrelatives alike. We provide comprehensive support to both donors and recipients, thanks to our transplant coordinators, live donor advocates, financial coordinators and social workers, as well as our team of medical specialists.

Do I meet the requirements for donating a kidney?

To donate a kidney to a friend or loved one, you must meet a number of criteria:

• Be in good health and free of chronic illness, such as diabetes or heart disease
• Have two normal-functioning kidneys
• Be willing to undergo a series of physical exams and tests, including:
• Chest X-ray
• Electrocardiogram
• Blood studies
• CT scan (with contrast dye)
• Urine studies
• Undergo a social service and psychological evaluation
• Be a "match" with the recipient
• Be at least 18 years of age

In some cases, we accept a donor who has a diagnosis of high blood pressure as long as it's well-controlled with medication. We also try to make an exception for donors who have had kidney stones in the past.

How do I get started?

If you are interested in becoming a living donor, please call 1-888-955-TRAN. You will meet with our transplant coordinator who will present you with a donor packet that consists of several forms to fill out, including a health questionnaire, medical history and a prescription to get your blood type checked.

If your blood type is compatible with that of the transplant recipient, you will then be asked to give consent for any further testing and/or evaluation. The next step is cross-matching, a test that finds out if you're compatible with the recipient by antibody type. Being compatible means that the recipient has no antibodies in his or her blood that would react against the donor kidney. The transplant coordinator reads you the results, and as long as the cross-matching shows you are compatible, specific blood tests will be performed for:

• Electrolytes
• Lipid panel
• Cholesterol panel
• Triglycerides
• Complete blood count
• Serology
• Liver function

A 24-hour urine collection is also necessary to check for creatinine clearance and protein.

Next is a series of diagnostic tests, including a chest X-ray, electrocardiography (EKG) and an ultrasound. All women donating must have already had a PAP smear as well as a mammogram (if over 50) and not be pregnant; all men donating must have already had a PSA screening test for prostate cancer and a colonoscopy.

The transplant coordinator reviews the results of your tests. If you are cleared, you are brought in to see a transplant nephrologist and social worker. If deemed okay by the nephrologist, a CAT scan is scheduled that day to define your kidneys' structure and function. If the CAT scan comes back OK, then surgery can be scheduled.

One week before your preadmission testing, another cross-match is required by law to ensure that your kidney is still compatible.

The entire process, from evaluation to donor surgery, usually takes about eight to 12 weeks.

What do I need to know about the surgery?

The surgery to remove your kidney is called hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy. The procedure allows our surgeons to perform through two or three tiny puncture sites with a much smaller incision than usual in the abdomen – about 7 centimeters as compared with a normal 25-centimer incision. It takes about 3 to 3.5 hours to complete this procedure.

What can I expect after surgery?

After surgery, you will experience some pain. Your hospital stay will be about two to three days. You may be given medication for the pain. We ask that you not drive for about three weeks and refrain from heavy lifting for about six to eight weeks. You can expect to be back to work anywhere from three to eight weeks, depending on your vocation.

It is very important that you stay committed to your follow-up appointments so that we can monitor your progress. You will need to visit with your surgeon about four times during a six-week period, then once after six months and finally once a year as needed.