The process
Once you have decided you want to be a living donor, your recipient will give you the contact details of the living donor team so you can speak with one of the living donor coordinators to start the initial assessment process.
An appointment will be made for you to come and see a living donor nurse specialist for some initial tests. After these tests, you will be thoroughly assessed (the process can take several months) for your suitability as a potential living donor.
A kidney from a living donor often provides the best long-term results for recipients.
Studies show that, on average, 90% of patients with a living donor transplant are thriving after 10 years, compared to 75% for those with a kidney from a deceased donor.
Both options, though, are far better than not having a transplant at all. In the UK, living kidney transplants have been successfully performed since 1960, with about 1,100 procedures taking place each year and a very high success rate.
What happens next
There are different stages in the donor assessment process which can take anything from three to seven months to complete. Most hospitals usually let you know in advance your appointment times for the different stages, including how long they may take. This makes it easier to plan and book time off work.
Before you can become a kidney donor you need to have a blood test, this is to check that you and your recipient have compatible blood groups. However, living donation kidney transplantation can take place between people with different bloods groups through the kidney sharing scheme.
At your first appointment you will meet your clinical nurse specialist; their role is to take you through the different stages of the donor process and medical tests. You will be asked for a brief medical history and given the opportunity to ask any questions.
You can find out more about living donations from NHS Blood and Transplant.
Tissue type matching is important for kidney transplants. The tissue type of a person is determined by marker proteins on the surface of white blood cells.
The higher the percentage of these proteins that match, the greater the compatibility between you and the person you are donating too. This close tissue match is usually seen when people are closely related.
The closer the match, the less likely it is that the donor kidney will be rejected.
Urine is tested for the presence of bacteria, glucose, protein and blood.
High blood pressure can cause kidney damage and may make you unsuitable to be a kidney donor. These initial tests are important as they make sure you are in good health to be a donor, that your kidneys are functioning normally and that you do not have any underlying medical problems.
At your first appointment you will meet your clinical nurse specialist; their role is to take you through the different stages of the donor process and medical tests. You will be asked for a
brief medical history and given the opportunity to ask any questions. Depending on the centre the results of your tests usually come back within a few days.