Whenever living donors are under consideration, the number one priority of the St. Joseph Kidney Transplant Center is the safety and well being of the donor. Each donor is evaluated using a relatively uniform process common to all US kidney transplant centers. The evaluation is overseen by the Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant Center whose responsibility is to ensure no individual is inappropriately used as a donor.

The Evaluation Process
The Medical Director and Kidney Transplant Center staff perform interviews, education sessions, examinations and tests to determine the safety and appropriateness of donation. If the results of the screening process are satisfactory, then the potential donor is referred to their own kidney specialist (called a nephrologist) who serves as the donor's advocate and reviews the testing to determine if the patient should proceed further.

The potential donor will also meet with a Clinical Social Worker, Transplant Psychiatrist (if needed), and finally the Living Donor Surgeon. Additional studies may include a CT angiogram to study the anatomy of the kidney and its blood vessels. Some patients are not accepted to be donors, if they are felt to be at risk for complications.

Life After Donation
Soon after donation, the donor's remaining kidney usually increases in function, performing up to 90% of the function of two kidneys in some cases. The life expectancy and general health of a properly screened living donor are considered unaffected by the removal of one kidney.