(Q1) What factors are considered in becoming a donor? :

(A1) Most important, the donation of a kidney must be a voluntary act. When more than one family members wish to be donors, individual circumstances of each of the donors are evaluated. If the circumstances are similar, the donor whose tissues match best with that of the recipient is selected. Then the donor is subjected to a series of tests (see donor work up).

(Q2) How does the transplant team determine if the donor is healthy enough to undergo surgery? :

(A2) To determine the general health of the donor, as well as the condition of his or her kidneys, a detailed medical history is taken and physical examination is performed. In addition, urine examination and a series of blood tests are performed. A chest X-Ray and an electrocardiogram are taken to assess the lung and heart status. Further work up is done if any abnormalities are encountered. A CT angiogram and follow-up IVP are performed to determine if there are any abnormalities in the blood vessels.

(Q3) Do some donors have trouble making the decision to give the kidney? :

(A3) Some people make the decision instantly, with few worries or problems. Others go through some soul searching before deciding. It is quite normal for a potential donor to be afraid of giving a kidney or to feel guilty about his or her reluctance. It must be remembered that the only "right" decision is one with which the person considering donation feels most comfortable..

(Q4) What does the donor undergo during surgery? :

(A4)At first a general anesthetic is administered in the operating room to put the donor to sleep during the surgery. The surgeon then makes the incision on the side from which the kidney is to be removed. Now-a-days even laparoscopic removal of kidney is done at some centers. Next, the kidney is removed and kept in ice and flushed with ice-cold solution. The kidney is then taken to the recipient in the adjoining operating room and connected to the recipient's blood vessels while the donor's incision is being closed and stitched. In most of the cases the transplanted kidney begins to function immediately while in few cases it takes several hours to days. In extremely rare cases, the transplanted kidney fails to work at all. After the surgery the donor is moved to the recovery room for observation until the anesthesia wears off. Thereafter the donor is returned to his/her room in the hospital.

(Q5) Is the operation risky for the donor? :

(A5)The operation involves the same level of risk as any major surgery. The risk of death in a major surgery in which a general anesthetic is used is 1 in 10,000 cases. Although the risk of death is low, donors may experience some complications following the surgery. These include infection, pain at surgical site etc. Most of the complications are treatable.

(Q6) How do donors feel during the recovery period after surgery? :

(A6)Following the operation the donor typically feels tired, a natural phenomenon after a major surgery with a general anesthetic. Certainly there is pain lasting for several days to several weeks as the muscles around the incision heal. The severity of pain felt varies from individual to individual depending upon the pain tolerance. The discomfort generally decreases, however, as the donor becomes more physically active.

(Q7) How long does donor remain in the hospital and when can he return to normal activity? :

(A7)The length of hospital stay for an uneventful surgery is about 5 to 7 days after surgery. After about a week's rest they can resume their activity. Generally they are advised to avoid lifting heavy weights for 6 weeks following discharge from the hospital.

(Q8) Will giving a kidney affect the ability of a donor to become pregnant or father a child? :

(A8)There is no evidence that donating a kidney has any effect on the ability of donors to have children. If any donor is unsuccessful in having a child it is usually due to reasons unrelated to having been a donor.

(Q9) Is a donor likely to develop kidney disease or other health problems later in life? :

(A9)Extensive research and studies have been conducted all over the world to answer this question. At one stage it was felt that donors could have a higher chance of getting high blood pressure in future, but when the group of healthy donors was compared to the age matched healthy non-donors, the incidence of high blood pressure was the same in both donor and the non-donor group. Thus so far there is no evidence that kidney donation places an individual at any risk

(Q10) Do donors have difficulty obtaining medical insurance after the operation? :

(A10)This is a possibility because of lack of awareness in the insurance companies. It would be better to resolve this issue even before the donation so that the donor faces no problem later on.

(Q11) What do kidney donors feel about their act of donating the kidney? :

(A11)In a survey conducted at one center the donors were asked, "If you could reconsider donating your kidney, would you make the same decision?" Ninety-one percent said "yes" without any reservations while an additional 5% stated that they would probably make the same decision. These donors were also questioned about their relationship with the recipient after transplant surgery. Fifty-eight percent stated that they had always been close to the recipient and that this close relationship had continued. Forty-two percent felt their relationship with the donor had improved since the operation.