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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.
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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 controlled on medications.
* Kidney problems, such as kidney stones.
* Cancer or history of cancer
* Hepatitis and HIV.
* Obesity increases surgical risk for donors so most programs have guidelines about weight and body mass index, usually an upper limit BMI of 30-32
* Psycho-social issues such as recent or severe depression.
* Pressure or coercion to be a donor by others.
These are guidelines to ensure the safety of the donor but each donor situation is addressed individually. The staff at the transplant center is able to talk to you about your health and situation and guide you in the best decision for you. At our center here is a team of caregivers dedicated to the living donors and not directly involved in the transplant candidate's care to work with all potential donors through the process of decision making, evaluation, and surgery and post-op.
Posted: 1/18/2010 4:13 p.m. by Catherine Garvey, R.N., B.A.N., C.C.T.
