Living-Donor Kidney Transplant at UPMC Hamot

Living-donor kidney transplant provides an alternative to the waiting list and allows people to receive a kidney transplant sooner.

Living-donor kidney transplant typically offers:

Little or no wait time
Quicker recovery time
Improved long-term outcomes

What is a Living-Donor Kidney Transplant?

During a living-donor kidney transplant, a family member, friend, or even a stranger can donate one of their kidneys to a person in need of a transplant. The donor’s healthy kidney is removed and transplanted into the recipient to replace their failing kidney.

Become a Living Kidney Donor

At UPMC Hamot, potential living donors are carefully evaluated to make sure that they can safely donate and are the best medical match for the person they are donating to.

Who can donate a kidney?

Potential living-kidney donors must:

Be between the ages of 18 and 75
Have an unselfish desire to help someone in need
Be in good general health and have no history of:

Heart disease
Liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatitis B and C
Diabetes
HIV
Cancers or other diseases that could complicate the surgery

What is the living-donor kidney transplant process?

The process for living-kidney donors includes:

A pre-donation evaluation
Surgery to remove the donor kidney
Post-donation follow-up and care

Living-Kidney Donor Recovery

The donor's recovery time after living-donor kidney transplant surgery varies based on:

The type of surgery performed
The donor's overall health

Typically, kidney donors can expect to be in the hospital for four to six days after donation.

Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise after surgery for several weeks. Living-kidney donors usually can return to normal routine four to six weeks after surgery.

Living-kidney donation does not affect life expectancy. Our kidney transplant experts at UPMC Hamot will explain potential risks at your living-donation evaluation.