How are kidneys matched to the best recipient?
When it is decided that a living donor transplant is not possible for someone who wishes to have a kidney transplant, then the process of obtaining a cadaver kidney begins. A cadaver kidney is one that has come from someone who has recently died and whose family has consented to kidney donation. The UTMC kidney transplant program participates in a national computer network, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) that matches recipients and cadaver kidneys. Life Connection of Ohio is the local organ procurement agency. Each time a kidney becomes available, its blood type and tissue type are entered into the computer and matched with the best possible recipient. The goal is to provide the best possible match between kidneys and recipients regardless of location. As a result, a donor kidney for transplantation at UTMC can come from Ohio or any other state.
