About Kidney Transplant Donor
Key Highlights
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Offers the best long-term survival rates and kidney function for the recipient compared to deceased donor transplants.Eliminates the long, uncertain wait on the national transplant list for the recipient.Living donors can lead completely normal, healthy lives with one fully functional kidney.Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical techniques reduce pain, scarring, and recovery time for the donor.The procedure is a planned event, allowing for optimal preparation for both donor and recipient.Represents a profound, life-changing gift that significantly improves the recipient's quality of life./ul
Who is this surgery for?
- For a recipient diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) where dialysis is no longer sufficient or sustainable.
- When a compatible living donor (often a family member, spouse, or friend) is willing and medically suitable.
- To provide a treatment option with better outcomes than long-term dialysis for the recipient.
- When the recipient's condition would benefit from a pre-emptive transplant (before starting dialysis).
- For recipients who are good surgical candidates and are committed to lifelong post-transplant care.
How to prepare
- Undergo an exhaustive medical, surgical, and psychological evaluation to ensure fitness for donation.
- Complete blood tests, imaging scans (like CT angiography), and tissue typing to confirm compatibility with the recipient.
- Consultations with a nephrologist, transplant surgeon, social worker, and independent donor advocate.
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition, hydration, and avoidance of alcohol and tobacco.
- Discontinue certain medications (like blood thinners) as advised by the medical team prior to surgery.
- Finalize logistical arrangements for hospital stay, time off work, and post-donation support at home.
Risks & possible complications
- Surgical risks including bleeding, infection, blood clots, or injury to surrounding organs.
- Rare risk of death associated with any major surgery (estimated at approximately 0.03%).
- Potential for pain, hernia, or nerve injury at the surgical incision site.
- Long-term, a very small increased lifetime risk of developing high blood pressure or proteinuria.
- Psychological risks such as stress, anxiety, or regret, though extensive pre-donation counseling aims to mitigate this.
- Anesthesia-related complications, though these are uncommon in healthy donors.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Hospital stay typically lasts 2-4 days post-surgery with close monitoring of pain, kidney function, and incision sites.
- Pain is managed effectively with medications; walking is encouraged soon after surgery to prevent complications.
- Donors should avoid heavy lifting (more than 10-15 lbs) and strenuous activity for 4-6 weeks.
- Incision care is crucial to prevent infection; follow specific instructions for cleaning and monitoring.
- Most donors can return to sedentary work within 2-4 weeks and resume full normal activities within 6-8 weeks.
- Lifelong annual check-ups with a doctor are recommended to monitor blood pressure and overall kidney health.
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Typical hospital stay: 2-4 days
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Expected recovery time: 6-8 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering kidney transplant donor in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for kidney transplant donor in India include Miot Hospital Chennai, Cytecare Hospital, Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Kamineni Hospital, King Koti, Kamineni Hospital, Tadigadapa, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform kidney transplant donor. MediFyr helps you compare nephrologists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for kidney transplant donor compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Kidney Transplant Donor in India
These partner hospitals in India have dedicated nephrology teams and experience managing patients undergoing kidney transplant donor.
Vihaan Smith, a 42-year-old software engineer...
Vihaan Smith, a 42-year-old software engineer and father of two, had always been healthy. His world shifted when his older brother was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease due to polycystic kidney disease, a genetic condition Vihaan also carried. For years, Vihaan monitored his kidney function, but by age 40, his creatinine levels began to climb, and fatigue became constant. Ultrasounds confirmed his kidneys were enlarging with cysts, compromising function. His nephrologist, Dr. Chen, explained that a pre-emptive living-donor transplant, receiving a kidney before needing dialysis, would offer him the best long-term survival and quality of life. Vihaan's wife was tested and was a perfect match. The surgery was laparoscopic for his wife and successful for Vihaan. His recovery in the hospital was closely monitored, with initial pain managed well. At home, he focused on rest, medication adherence, and gradual walks. One year post-transplant, his kidney function is excellent, and he has his energy back. Emotionally, the journey was a rollercoaster, initial fear and guilt about accepting his wife's kidney gave way to profound gratitude and a renewed commitment to his family's health. He now volunteers to support other transplant patients.
Nephrologists for Kidney Transplant Donor
Explore experienced nephrologists who regularly perform kidney transplant donor and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 17 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 5 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 13 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Miot Hospital Chennai, Chennai
- 15 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
- 9 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore
- 34 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore
- 17 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore
- 11 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
- 16 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bangalore
- 13 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bangalore
- 13 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield, Bangalore
- 44 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 35 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 18 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 27 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 26 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 27 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 20 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore
- 9 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Patiala, Patiala
- 9 Years Experience
- Nephrologist
Manipal Hospital Mysore, Mysore