Multi-Organ Transplant

KidneyTransplant - Living Kidney Donor Program

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The Multi Organ Transplant Program performs over 60 living donor kidney transplants per year. Every patient referred to the kidney transplant program is presented with the option of living donor transplant. Living donation reduces the waiting time significantly for kidney transplant candidates and has the advantage of ensuring that the surgery is thoroughly planned and prepared for by recipient, donor, and transplant team. Patient outcomes following living donor kidney transplant are excellent and better than deceased donors (living donor vs. deceased donor transplant survival 95 vs. 90% at 1 year and 87 vs. 80% at 5 yr).

Significant assessment, preparation, and planning go into a successful living donor kidney transplant. Living donors can be: a blood relative, spouse, friend or acquaintance; usually but not always between the ages of 18 and 60 years; in good health; freely willing to donate.

One kidney is more than able to perform all the functions of regulating, removing waste, and producing the hormones that the body needs. Therefore only one kidney is needed for the recipient and the donor is able to live a normal life with only one kidney. After the donation, living donors can return to all of the same activities that they were doing before the transplant.

There are programs to help facilitate a living donor transplant even if the donor is not blood type compatible. Dr Carl Cardella directs the Desensitization Program, which in some cases can permit a transplant from a blood type incompatible donor. Incompatible living donor-recipient pairs may also consider the National Living Donor Paired Exchange program as well as List Exchange. Discuss these options with the transplant team if you think your donor is not blood type compatible.

The living donor kidney transplant program is directed by Dr Robert Richardson (donor side) and Dr. Ed Cole (recipient side), with support from Assessment Coordinators, Transplant Coordinators and various members of the multidisciplinary team throughout the transplant process.

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