Living Donor Information
Inova Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program
All potential living donors must undergo a complete health assessment and evaluation managed by the transplant team.
The decision to donate a kidney requires careful consideration. Kidney donors are special people, willing to share a gift that can only be given once to better another person's life.
We invite anyone who is interested in donating a kidney to contact our living donor coordinator directly at 703-776-8053. Our team is happy to provide as much information as possible to assist you in making this decision.
Kidney donation surgery
Nephrectomy is the surgical removal of a kidney. One of two types of nephrectomy is selected based on the potential donor's test results, such as CT scans.
- Laparoscopic nephrectomy. This is the most common type of procedure and entails three to four small abdominal puncture wounds that surround the kidney as well as a two to two-and-a-half inch incision well below the waistline. No muscles are cut during this surgery which means less pain and a shorter recovery period.
- Open nephrectomy. This procedure is used when laparoscopic surgery is not an option due to a donor's anatomy. It entails one larger incision that will require cutting through the abdominal muscle. This type of nephrectomy includes a slightly longer recovery period.
Advantages of living donors
- Better success rates. Since the kidneys come from living, healthy people who are in better condition when the kidney is transplanted, the kidney tends to function better over time
- Shorter wait times. Typically there is a four to five year wait for a deceased kidney from the UNOS list. Each year, one out of 20 people waiting for a new kidney dies from kidney disease while on dialysis.
- More time to prepare. When you are on the waiting list for a deceased kidney, you never know when the surgery will happen. With living donation you can schedule surgery ahead of time.
Types of living donation
- Directed donation. Directed donors are evaluated to donate a kidney directly to a family member, loved one or friend. Both the donor and recipient surgeries will occur on the same day.
- 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.
- Non-designated donation. Someone may want to donate a kidney to the general list of patients who are currently awaiting a kidney transplant. In this situation, the donor will not know who the kidney is going to until after the transplant is complete. The recipient always has the right to protect his/her identity. This means the donor may never know who receives his/her kidney.