What are the advantages to having a living donor?
• Better short-term and long-term outcomes, as living donor kidneys usually last longer • Decreased wait time resulting in a quicker return to an improved quality of life, especially for patients on dialysis • Scheduled surgery, making it more convenient for patients and their families • More complete medical testing is possible with living donors, helping to ensure the highest quality kidneys for transplant • Receiving a kidney transplant sooner often means patients are in better health, which makes recovery easier and improves the outcomes of the transplant • The kidney is transplanted into the recipient immediately after the donor surgery, which helps preserve kidney function and results in reduced complications What are the risks involved with a living donor? The risks with kidney donation are minimal. There are surgical risks related to the use of anesthesia, and possible bleeding or clotting. Research indicates that the long-term medical risks of having only one remaining kidney
