Finding a Kidney for Transplantation
Transplant kidneys can come from two sources -- a living donor or a deceased donor. A living donor must be at least 18 years old and is usually a relative of the patient, such as:
- Parent
- Sibling
- Grandparent
- Aunt
- Uncle
In some cases, living donors with other ties to the patient may be considered, such as a step-parent, an adoptive parent or a family friend. They will undergo extensive testing to make sure that they are healthy and do not appear to be at risk of future kidney problems themselves.
If no living donor is available, the patient can be placed on the waiting list for a deceased donor kidney. This happens when someone has died whose family has agreed to donate their organs for transplantation. When a deceased donor who is a match for the waiting patient is identified, the patient is contacted to come to the hospital for the transplant surgery. The waiting time on the list can be long, from months to years.
Rev. 1/07
