Donating a Kidney
   
 
While it is not necessary for living donors to be related to the recipient, they are usually friends or relatives. The decision to donate an organ is important and must be made by the person and his or her loved ones. You should not, under any circumstances, feel pressured to donate an organ.
   
 
General requirements of living kidney donors are:
 
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Age 18 to 70 years
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Good general health
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Normal kidney function and anatomy, as determined in the evaluation process
   
 
Conditions that would exclude a person as a living kidney donor:
 
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Hypertension
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Diabetes
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Certain forms of cancer
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Certain infectious diseases, such as AIDS or hepatitis
   
 
When one agrees to donate a kidney, he/she needs to be evaluated at the transplant centre. First, the donor must know his blood type. He/she must be either the same blood type as the recipient or blood type "O." The Rh factor — positive (+) or negative (-) — does not affect one’s ability to donate.

A comprehensive evaluation is then carried out. The purpose of the evaluation is to make sure the kidneys are normal and that there are no medical or psychiatric illness that would make this procedure risky or difficult. It makes sure that there are no medical conditions that could be transmitted to the recipient and to confirm that the donor is giving his kidney voluntarily, without pressure. It includes the following:
 
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A full medical history and a physical, which includes a blood pressure check. Please be truthful. Hiding information may be dangerous to you or the recipient. In addition, results from your routine annual health tests (e.g., Pap smear, mammogram, etc), as well as any necessary medical clearance for pre-existing conditions, will need to be submitted to the transplant team for review.
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Also needed are blood and urine tests, a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram (ECG). These are to screen for kidney function, liver function, hepatitis, heart disease, lung disease and past exposure to viral illness. Urine testing is also be done to make sure that your kidneys function normally. If these tests suggest that you could be a donor, an intravenous pyelogram and renal angiogram will be performed to ensure you have two healthy kidneys.
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A pyelogram is an image of the ureter and renal pelvis made by introducing a radioactive material intravenously. An X-ray image made while the material is excreted provides important information. An angiogram is a similar image made of the renal arteries. Other tests may be necessary.
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You will also meet with a surgeon and complete a psychosocial evaluation.
   
 
Once all results from the entire evaluation process are available, they will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary committee who decides whether you are able to safely proceed with the donation. If at any time a test result shows that you do not meet the criteria for donation, the evaluation is stopped. One of every five potential donors is found not to be suitable for donation.

Although some risks are associated with any major operation, donating one kidney does not pose a major risk to a healthy donor. Studies show that the remaining kidney will continue function normally and will compensate for the loss of the other kidney. Kidney donation should not restrict or interfere with your lifestyle after full recovery from the surgery. There is no routine need for any special diet or medication after donation.

When a suitable donor is identified, the transplant is scheduled at a convenient time for both donor and recipient. Every attempt is made to identify a time convenient for both parties.

The term "nephrectomy" refers to the surgical removal of a kidney. Two types of surgery can be used to accomplish this:
   
 
Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
This operation is performed by using a "scope" to peer into the abdomen through a small incision. This approach makes it possible to locate, secure, and remove the kidney through a surprisingly small wound. This "minimally invasive" surgery allows for a faster recovery than with the traditional operation. Donors are generally able to leave the hospital within 5 days after the surgery and can often resume work within two to three weeks.
   
 
Traditional Donor Nephrectomy
This operation is performed using an incision across the flank on one side of the back. The kidney is secured and removed under direct vision. Most donors need to stay in the hospital for a week to 10 days and can usually resume work in four to six weeks, depending on the type of work they do. This method is that widely used in Nigeria but laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is done at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos.

Follow up evaluations may be needed for six to nine months following donor surgery; blood and urine tests will be done and evaluated by a nephrologist. The kidney transplant team will schedule these follow-up tests, which do not require a stay in the hospital. The results will give a good indication of the function of your remaining kidney.
   
 
PLEASE NOTE:
 
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Donating a kidney is a major decision and it takes courage to be a kidney donor. There are many things that you should know before considering kidney donation.
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Donating a kidney in Nigeria is by living donors who wish to help a loved one.
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It is important that anyone who wants to be considered as a living kidney donor thinks seriously about the possibility.
   
 
Points to consider are:
 
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The survival of transplants from living donors is significantly better, allowing more people to receive and benefit from a kidney transplant
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Living donors who are close relatives can be an excellent tissue-type match for the recipient and this can be an added bonus for the recipient
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Unrelated donors, such as spouses, are unlikely to be well matched to the recipient. However, in all but the perfectly matched situation, the success rates of these transplants are equal to those of related donors
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Living kidney donation allows the transplant operation to be planned at a time that is convenient for the recipient and the donor and for some people this can be planned before the need for dialysis
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Recipients who are transplanted prior to dialysis have better long-term transplant survival.