how to donate a kidney

How to Donate Your Kidney.

• 1. Decide to whom you will donate. You can choose to donate a kidney directly to someone you know, but only if you are a compatible match. You also ...
• 2. Contact a transplant center. Once you have decided that you would like to donate a kidney, you must contact a transplant center in order to ...
• 3. Get matched. If you want to donate to a specific person, you will need to undergo blood testing to determine if you are a match. The initial ...
• 4. Have a health screening. In order to donate a kidney, you must be healthy enough to undergo surgery and to do well afterward with only one kidney.

Full Answer

What are the long term effects of donating a kidney?

Then follow these steps: Select "Transplant Centers by Organ" under Member 
 Type Select "Kidney" for Organ Type Select your state or region

What are the pros and cons of donating a kidney?

If you are interested in living kidney donation: Contact the transplant center where a transplant candidate is registered. You will need to have an evaluation at the transplant center to make sure that you are a good match for the person you... If you are …

How much do you get for donating a kidney?

Be an Organ Donor. Deceased Donation. Identifying yourself as an organ and/or tissue donor is simple. Simply visit the Donate Life America website to join your state's ... Living Donation. Religion and Organ Donation.

What makes a person decide to donate a kidney?

Donating a kidney is a life-changing gift but also a major commitment that involves extensive testing, major surgery and weeks of recovery time. If you decide to donate a kidney, here’s the process you’ll go through.

Do kidney donors get money?

After the organ broker—the guy who sets up your kidney-for-cash transaction—takes his cut, he needs to pay for travel, the surgeon, medical supplies and a few “look-the-other-way” payoffs. Most people get $1,000 to $10,000 for their kidney (probably much less than you were hoping for).Aug 29, 2013

What are the requirements for a kidney donor?

To donate a kidney, you must be in good physical and mental health.As a general rule, you should be 18 years or older. You must also have normal kidney function. There are some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor.

Do you shorten your life by donating a kidney?

Donating a kidney does not affect a person's life expectancy. On the contrary, studies show that people who donate a kidney outlive the average population. Twenty years after donating, 85 percent of kidney donors were still alive, while the expected survival rate was 66 percent.

What are the risks of donating a kidney?

Risks and Benefits of Living Kidney DonationPain.Infection (such as pneumonia or wound infection)Blood clot.Reaction to anesthesia.Death (Worldwide mortality rate for living kidney donors is 0.03% to 0.06%)Conversion to open nephrectomy.Need for re-operation (such as for bleeding)Re-admission to hospital.More items...

Is donating a kidney painful?

After leaving the hospital, the donor will typically feel tenderness, itching and some pain as the incision continues to heal. Generally, heavy lifting is not recommended for about six weeks following surgery. It is also recommended that donors avoid contact sports where the remaining kidney could be injured.

Can a female donate kidney to male?

Our results suggested gender matching for kidney transplant. Only in some exceptional conditions, male donor to female recipient kidney transplant may be successful and female donors to male recipients are not suggested, especially in aged patients with the history of dialysis.Jan 6, 2020

Can you drink alcohol after donating a kidney?

Yes, kidney donors can eventually drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks but should abstain in the weeks following the transplant. Women and those over 65 should stick to 1 alcoholic beverage per day at most, while men should have no more than 2 drinks in a day.Nov 13, 2020

Who is the best match for a kidney transplant?

The best match for the recipient is to have 12 out of s12antigen match. (This is known as a zero mismatch.) It is possible for all 12 markers to match, even with an unrelated deceased donor organ, if the patient has a very common HLA type.

How to remove kidneys?

There are two different surgeries your doctor may perform to remove your kidney: an open incision removal and a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopic procedure is much less invasive, which means there are fewer risks involved and the recovery time is shorter.

Why is it important to have regular checkups?

The purpose of this is to make sure you are healing properly, so be sure to go to all scheduled appointments. 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.

Can you have only one kidney?

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.

Does insurance cover kidney transplant?

Most of the time, your medical expenses will be covered by either the recipient’s insurance or by the transplant center if you choose to donate a kidney. Make sure to find out if you will be responsible for any costs. Also, keep in mind that the surgery may have many hidden costs that are not covered.

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Can you donate a kidney to a stranger?

You also have the option of donating to a stranger or participating in a paired exchange donation, which means you will donate your kidney to a stranger on the condition that a compatible stranger also donates a kidney to your loved one.

What is a living kidney donor?

Living donation takes place when a living person donates an organ or part of an organ to someone in need of a transplant. The donor is most often a close family member, such as a parent, child, brother or sister.

How many people die waiting for a kidney transplant?

Every day 12 people die waiting for a kidney. Organ and tissue donation helps others by giving them a second chance at life.