Living Donor
Alternative Types of Living Donation
Paired Exchange
A person may want to donate a kidney to a relative or friend
but cannot because their blood types or tissue types do not match.
If another pair in the same situation is found, an exchange may
be possible between the two pairs.
Donor Exchange
If a non-matching relative or friend donates a kidney to
the general pool, then their recipient would have priority on the
waiting list for a deceased kidney from the UNOS list that is a
match. The exchange not only benefits the person needing a kidney
transplant, but also helps others still waiting by removing one
person from the list.
Non-Designated Donation
This addresses the person who wants to donate a kidney
to the general pool on the UNOS list, because they do not have a
relative or friend in need of a kidney donation.
Living Donor Nephrectomy
There are two types of surgery to remove the kidney from
the living donor:
- Open Nephrectomy - a 6 to 8-inch incision made below the
ribs on the right side of the abdomen
- Laparoscopic Nephrectomy - four small 1-inch holes made below the ribs on the left side of the abdomen and a 2 to 3-inch incision at the pubic line on the lower abdomen to remove the kidney
The type of surgery is dependent upon the CT scan results of the donor's renal anatomy. There are advantages to the laparoscopic nephrectomy, which include less pain and scarring, shorter hospital stays, and shorter recovery periods.
