Most people are born with two healthy kidneys but only need one to function normally. For that reason, a healthy person may choose to undergo surgery to donate a kidney to someone often a friend or family member with chronic kidney disease.
What Are the Benefits of Living Kidney Donation?
Because there are not enough kidneys available for those who need them, recipients may wait three to five years for a deceased donor kidney, during which time their health may continue to decline. Living kidney donation eliminates this prolonged waiting period. Because living donor kidneys normally begin to function more quickly than deceased donor kidneys, living kidney donation has also been shown to have better acceptance rates and long-term outcomes for recipients.
Kidney donation was once a last-resort option, but decades of successful transplants have made it routine and safe. At the Virginia Transplant Center, kidneys are removed from living donors using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery that allows for faster, less painful recovery.
Led by Dr. Eugene Park, the Virginia Transplant Center was the fourth transplant center in the nation to perform laparoscopic kidney removals. Our surgical team has performed more than 250 of these procedures since 1997.
At HCA Virginia, living donors benefit from working with an experienced, multidisciplinary team of transplant specialists. A transplant coordinator guides the donor through the entire experience from evaluation through surgery and follow-up.
Living donors are generally between the ages of 21 and 65 and must be:
- Physically fit and in good general health
- Free from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease and heart disease
Donors do not need to be the same gender or race as their recipients.
Detailed blood testing will determine if a donor and a recipient are compatible. People with type O blood are possible donors for any recipient, and some type A blood types may be compatible with any recipient blood type.
Laparoscopic nephrectomy (kidney removal) requires that a small incision be made near the navel, with two or three smaller incisions made in other places on the abdomen. A laparoscope a small tool containing a camera is inserted through an incision to allow the surgeon to observe his actions on a video monitor. Other precision instruments disconnect the kidney and remove it through the navel incision. The entire procedure takes approximately four hours.
Like any surgical procedure, kidney removal has risks associated with it. These include bleeding, allergic reactions to anesthesia, blood clots, pneumonia and wound infection. Your surgeon will discuss these risks with you prior to surgery and answer any questions you may have.
It is illegal to pay for a kidney donation. However, the medical expenses associated with the living donor evaluation, surgical procedure and post transplant complication are covered by the recipient's insurance. Any other care provided to the donor that is not part of the donor requirements is not covered in this manner. In addition, the additional costs for travel, food, lodging and lost wages can be covered by the recipient. Your social worker will discuss these issues with you to help you plan for your needs. You can also apply to The National Donor Assistance Program for support.
After surgery, you will need to rest and allow your body time to heal and strengthen. Donors typically remain at the hospital for three or four days and recover at home for a period of four to six weeks. Depending on their type of employment, donors may return to work as soon as two weeks after surgery.
The possible long-term effects from kidney donation include hypertension and an increase in protein in the urine. Studies have shown that kidney donors have the same life expectancy as non-donors.
You may decide to donate a kidney to a friend or loved one only to learn that you are not a compatible donor for that person.
Through paired donation, you may donate to a suitable recipient through a paired kidney exchange program such as the National Kidney Registry, of which the Virginia Transplant Center is a member. Your loved one will receive a kidney from a compatible living donor in the network.
Making Your Decision
While many people have found living kidney donation to be a rewarding experience, the decision to donate is personal and complex. The Virginia Transplant Center team is here to help you and your family learn about treatment options, answer your questions and make the best decision.
Call us at 804.289.4941 or toll-free at 877.626.4581 to talk about living kidney donation.
Virginia Transplant Center at Henrico Doctors' Hospital
1602 Skipwith Road
Professional Office Building
Suite 303
Richmond, Va 23229