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printer-friendlyDr. Arthur Matas, one of our transplant surgeons, has been head of the kidney transplant program at the University of Minnesota for many years and now directs our Living Donor Program. He leads the team of authors posting to our blog. That team includes Cheryl Jacobs, Dawn Larson, Margaret Voges and Cathy Garvey, who work with our donors every day.
How do we increase altruistic kidney donation?
Given the tremendous shortage of organs (there are over 80,000 people on the waiting list for a transplant in the United States, see www.unos.org), every effort should be made to increase organ donation. One of the programs we are proud of at our institution is our
Posted: 4/5/2010 9:24 a.m. by Arthur Matas, M.D.
3 comments
Kidney donation via Twitter
Chris Strouth was diagnosed with kidney disease at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and and was undergoing dialysis 3 times per week. Chris is very involved in the Twin Cities music scene and chronicled his medical experiences in his Facebook account. One day, he posted on Twitter that he needed a kidney
Posted: 2/2/2010 8:20 a.m. by Margaret Voges, R.N., B.A.N.
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Why is kidney donation on the decline?
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the non-profit, scientific and educational organization that administers the nation's only Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network more...
Posted: 1/21/2010 3:13 p.m. by Arthur Matas, M.D.
8 comments
Who can and cannot be a living donor?
Kidney donors must be in good health. Medical conditions that would prevent someone from being a donor are:
* Heart or lung problems that make general anesthesia and the stress of a surgery too risky
* Although sometimes accepted in specific cases, hypertension (high blood pressure) even if well
Posted: 1/18/2010 4:13 p.m. by Catherine Garvey, R.N., B.A.N., C.C.T.
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What are the first steps to becoming a living donor?
If you are interested in being a living donor, you should contact the Living Donor Kidney Program at a kidney transplant center. You will usually be asked to fill out a questionnaire. Once you have completed the questionnaire, a nurse coordinator will review it to determine if you may proceed with initial blood
Posted: 1/11/2010 11:39 a.m. by Barry Friedman, R.N.
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Nondirected or "Good Samaritan" Donation
To us, all donors are heroes. Donors undergo surgery that has no physical benefit to themselves. Yet the surgery (like all surgery) has risks. Fortunately, the data shows no long-term risks to donors. So, as discussed in an earlier posting, we are most concerned about the risks of the surgery
Posted: 1/5/2010 5:16 p.m. by Arthur Matas, M.D.
1 comment
Paired Exchange Program
Finding a friend or relative to donate a kidney is a great option. Yet, sometimes the potential donor is not compatible with the recipient. There must be a blood type and tissue "match" between the donor and the recipient before we can do the transplant.*
If a recipient and the potential
Posted: 11/24/2009 11:14 a.m. by Margaret Voges, R.N., B.A.N.
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Financial Considerations for Living Donors
Living donors should decide if, and how, donating an organ will impact them financially. You should first consider how donating will impact you and your family. If you are employed, you should talk to your employer before you make the decision to donate. You'll need to know
Posted: 11/24/2009 11:11 a.m. by Cheryl Jacobs, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.
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Welcome to Living Organ Donation, University of Minnesota Medical Center
For most patients with kidney failure, the best treatment choice is a living donor transplant. Those fortunate to have a living donor can get transplanted much sooner; and the results are better.
The disadvantage of a living donor transplant is the risk to the
Posted: 11/17/2009 12:11 p.m. by Arthur Matas, M.D.
13 comments
