Who can donate kidney?
- Near relation (as defined by The Transplantation Of Human Organs Act 1994) well-matched live donor, viz Sibling, Parent, Children and spouse can donate kidney to their near ones.
- Cadaver donor: those whose brain has stopped working permanently, their other body organs including kidney can be utilized for saving other human lives. We very firmly believe that every effort should be made to develop and promote cadaver donor programme. At present this appears like a distant dream in practical terms. However, we are committed to develop such a programme and will spare no efforts to try to achieve the same.
- Other than related but emotionally related donors Only if appropriate legal authority permits
Once the identity and relationship between donor and recipient are established by appropriate legal proof, Donor will undergo following procedure
- ABO compatibility of the donor is checked. They are evaluated for social and psychiatric aspects.
- Donor then undergoes examination and a set of investigations as follows:
- CLINICAL EXAMINATION: Both by Nephrology and Urology department
- HAEMATOLOGY: Hemoglobin, WBC-Total & Differential, Platelets, ESR, Bleeding time and Clotting time & Prothrombin time and Malaria Parasites in Peripheral blood.
- BIOCHEMISTRY: GTT, Urea, Creatinine, Electrolytes, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Phosphorus, Alkaline Phosphatase, Proteins, SGPT, Bilirubin, PSA [if donor is > 50 years Male]..
- URINALYSIS: Albumin, sugar & Microscopy, Culture and Sensitivity, protein:creatinine ratio or 24 hours protein
- VIRAL STUDIES & OTHERS: HbsAg, HIV antibodies, HCV, VDRL & CMV antibodies
- CARDIOVASCULAR & RESPIRATORY STATUS: X-ray Chest PA, ECG, Stress Test, Echo-cardiogram, PEFR , Arterial pH & Gases [as per indications].
- UROFLOWMETRY IMAGING: X-ray KUB, Ultrasound of abdomen, CT IVU and renal angiography,
- OTHER: As per need
- HLA typing for DR, A & B, locus antigens and lymphocytes cross match, is then undertaken. Lymphocyte cross match is done at the time of selection as well as a day prior to transplantation.Once the donor and recipient are found medically suitable, legal formalities will be completed for permission from appropriate authorities. Following which the transplantation date will be finalized.
Is there any risk involved in donating my one kidney to my near one?
As kidney donation is after all a moderate surgical procedure, few / minimal peri operative complications are not unknown but those are not jeopardizing to the life or kidney and easy to manage. However, the long term risk of developing hypertension, proteinuria or kidney failure among kidney donors is almost negligible. In fact it has been noticed even in international literature that kidney donation improves the long term life span as they are prospectively and positively selected and screened for disease. (The risk of living kidney donation. Nephrol Dial Transplant (2003) 18: 871–873)