how to donate 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

How much do you get for donating a kidney?

You can also contact a transplant center in your area to ask about being a living donor. To find a list of all transplant centers in the U.S., visit the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) website. Then follow these steps: Select "Transplant Centers by Organ" under Member Type Select "Kidney" for Organ Type

What are the pros and cons of donating a kidney?

Living donor surgery. Blood tests. Urine tests. Pap smear/ gynecological exam. Colonoscopy (if over age 50) Screening tests for cancer. Antibody test. X-ray. Electrocardiogram (EKG) which looks at your heart. Other image testing like a CT scan.

What makes a person decide to donate 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 is the chance of getting a kidney donation?

How to Donate a Kidney. Living donor candidates should be in good physical and mental health and free of diseases that would exclude them from donation, including diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and organ diseases. Living donors may have a recipient in mind or may choose to donate as a good Samaritan to someone they don’t know.

Do kidney donors get money?

A living donor cannot be paid for the donated organ because it is illegal under the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984. However, living donors may receive reimbursement for certain expenses related to the donation process.

What are the requirements for kidney donation?

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.

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...

Does donating a kidney shorten your life?

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.

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 after donating a kidney?

About 2 weeks after the surgery, recipients should start feeling much better. However, the total length of time to fully recover from the surgery is 6 months. Can kidney donors drink alcohol? Yes, kidney donors can eventually drink 1-2 alcoholic drinks but should abstain in the weeks following the transplant.Nov 13, 2020

What to eat after donating a kidney?

Moderate protein intake is recommended after kidney donation. Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, eggs, soy, and tofu are all protein-rich foods. Monitor portion sizes to reduce extra protein intake.

What are the disadvantages of a kidney transplant?

Disadvantages — Kidney transplantation is a major surgical procedure that has risks both during and after the surgery. The risks of the surgery include infection, bleeding, and damage to the surrounding organs. Even death can occur, although this is very rare.Jun 4, 2021

How to donate kidneys to a specific person?

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 screening involves a simple blood test. You must have a compatible blood type in order to donate your kidney to a specific individual.

How to know if you are eligible to donate kidneys?

First, you need to do thorough research to make sure you really want to donate your kidney. Then you must endure a series of medical tests to find out if you are an eligible donor. If you pass all the tests, you’re ready to start talking to your doctor about surgery. Steps.

How long can you be out of work after donating a kidney?

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.

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 donate a kidney to someone you love?

Whether you want to donate a kidney to someone you love or you just want to be a good samaritan, there’s a lot you need to know . Donating a kidney can save someone else’s life, but it is not without its risks. First, you need to do thorough research to make sure you really want to donate your kidney.

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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.

Getting Started With a Living Kidney Donation

To be considered for a living kidney donation, please fill out the form below. Once the form is submitted, our team will carefully evaluate the information to determine whether or not the person is a candidate. We will contact potential donors with results within seven days after the completed form is received.

More Information About Living Kidney Donation

Comprehensive information about becoming a living kidney donor is available through the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

How old do you have to be to donate a kidney?

Here's what to expect from the donor selection and screening process. Getting Started. To be a donor, you should be at least 18 years old. The best candidates don’t have any major illnesses, aren’t overweight, and don’t smoke.

What do you need to know before you can donate?

Tests and Evaluation. Before you can donate, your doctor will do some tests to make sure you and your kidney are healthy. The first thing they’ll do is check your blood. This is especially important in a directed donation to make sure your kidney is a match for the person who will receive it.

How to check compatibility between donor and recipient?

There are three main blood tests to check for compatibility between donor and recipient: Blood type test. This makes sure your blood type and the recipient's blood type are a good match. Crossmatch test. Doctors mix a sample of your blood with a sample of the recipient's to see how they react.

Why do doctors mix blood with blood samples?

Doctors mix a sample of your blood with a sample of the recipient's to see how they react. This makes sure they don’t have antibodies that will cause their body to attack your kidney. HLA typing. This looks to see if you and the recipient share certain genetic markers related to the immune system.

What to expect in the weeks leading up to a transplant?

In the weeks leading up to the surgery, you may also be called in for more tests. Now that you have decided to donate, you may be impatient and want to get things going. Use this time to let the people who are important to you know what’s going on. Your transplant team will help you prepare for surgery and afterward.

How old do you have to be to donate?

To be a donor, you should be at least 18 years old. The best candidates don’t have any major illnesses, aren’t overweight, and don’t smoke. You may get the OK as long as you lose weight or agree to quit smoking before the surgery.

Can you participate in a paired donor exchange?

Depending on the transplant center, you may be able to participate in a paired donor exchange, or your intended recipient can get desensitized by removing antibodies directed against you. Each transplant center also has many other screening tests, usually involving: More blood tests.

Who Can I Give My Kidney To?

You can donate a kidney to a family member or friend who needs one. You can also give it to someone you don't know. Doctors call this a “nondirected” donation, in which case you might decide to meet the person you donate to, or choose to stay anonymous. Either way, doctors will give your kidney to the person who needs it most and is the best match.

Am I Healthy Enough to Donate a Kidney?

Your doctor will do some tests to find out for sure. They’ll check your blood and urine, and may also do an ultrasound or take X-rays of your kidneys. You may not be able to donate if you have medical issues like diabetes or high blood pressure.

What Happens After Surgery?

Your doctor will prescribe medications to help manage your pain. They’ll also want you to get up and start moving around shortly afterward.

How Can I Donate?

If you want to give your kidney to a friend or family member, talk to the doctor at the transplant center. You'll start taking tests to see if you're a match.