Donor nephrectomy
About this test
A donor nephrectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a healthy kidney from a living donor for transplant into a person whose kidneys no longer function properly. Living-donor kidney transplant is an alternative to deceased-donor kidney transplant. A living donor can donate one of his or her two kidneys, and the remaining kidney is able to perform the necessary functions.
Why it's done
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located on each side of the spine just below the rib cage. Each one is about the size of a fist. The kidneys' main function is to filter and remove excess waste, minerals and fluid from the blood by producing urine. People with end-stage kidney disease, also called end-stage renal disease, need to have waste removed from their bloodstream through a machine (hemodialysis) or with a procedure to filter the blood (peritoneal dialysis), or by having a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant is usually the treatment of choice for kidney failure, compared with a lifetime on dialysis. Living-donor kidney transplants offer several benefits to the recipient, including fewer complications and longer survival of the donor organ when compared with deceased-donor kidney transplants. The use of donor nephrectomy for living kidney donation has increased in recent years as the number of people waiting for a kidney transplant has grown. The demand for donor kidneys far outnumbers the supply of deceased-donor kidneys, which makes living-donor kidney transplant an attractive option for people in need of a kidney transplant.
Risks and complications
Donor nephrectomy carries certain risks associated with the surgery itself, the remaining organ function and the psychological aspects involved with donating an organ. For the kidney recipient, the risk of transplant surgery is usually low because it is a potentially lifesaving procedure. But kidney donation surgery can expose a healthy person to the risk of and recovery from unnecessary major surgery. Immediate, surgery-related risks of donor nephrectomy include: Pain Infection Hernia Bleeding and blood clots Wound complications and, in rare cases, death Living-donor kidney transplant is the most widely studied type of living organ donation, with more than 50 years of follow-up information. Overall, studies show that life expectancy for those who have donated a kidney is the same as that for similarly matched people who haven't donated. Some studies suggest living kidney donors may have a slightly higher risk of kidney failure in the future when compared with the average risk of kidney failure in the general population. But the risk of kidney failure after donor nephrectomy is still low. Specific long-term complications associated with living kidney donation include high blood pressure and elevated protein levels in urine (proteinuria). Donating a kidney or any other organ may also cause mental health issues, such as symptoms of anxiety and depression. The donated kidney may fail in the recipient and cause feelings of regret, anger or resentment in the donor. Overall, most living organ donors rate their experiences as positive. To minimize the potential risks associated with donor nephrectomy, you'll have extensive testing and evaluation to ensure that you're eligible to donate.
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