Understand the kidneys, causes of kidney failure, and possible kidney treatments. Learn about kidneys and kidney transplants What are the kidneys? The kidneys are 2 bean-shaped organs, just below your rib cage on each side of your spine. They filter your blood to remove waste and extra fluid, which becomes urine (pee). They also help control your blood pressure and keep your bones healthy. Why do kidneys stop working? Kidneys can stop working for many reasons. This can happen suddenly or slowly over many years. Some people do not know their kidneys are damaged until they stop working entirely. This is called kidney failure . In kidney failure, a person’s kidneys stop working well enough to keep them alive. If this happens, waste builds up to unsafe levels in their body. This can be life-threatening and raise the chances of a heart attack. What causes kidney failure? Kidney failure can happen for many reasons: Acute kidney failure or injury When someone’s kidneys fail suddenly , it happens over days or weeks. This is called acute kidney failure or injury. It is a medical emergency. Acute kidney failure can be caused by different things, including: Conditions that slow blood flow to the kidneys , such as dehydration, infections, low blood pressure, or heart attack Damage to the kidneys , such as from infections, medicines, or an autoimmune disease (when a person’s immune system attacks their own body) When urine can’t leave the kidney , such as from kidney stones, blood clots in the urinary tract, or bladder, prostate, or cervical cancer Chronic kidney disease (CKD) When someone’s kidneys fail slowly over time , it is called chronic kidney disease (CKD) and leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a long-term condition. In CKD, the kidneys are damaged and lose the ability to filter waste and fluid out of the blood. CKD can be caused by different things, including: Diabetes High blood pressure Polycystic kidney disease (a genetic disease where non-cancerous fluid-filled sacs grow on the kidneys) Autoimmune disease (when a person’s immune system attacks their own body) What are the treatments for kidney failure? The 2 treatments for kidney failure are dialysis and a kidney transplant : 1. Dialysis Dialysis uses a machine to filter waste and extra fluid from a person’s blood. This can be time-consuming, tiring, hard on the body, and can have strict diet restrictions. People are often on dialysis as they wait for a kidney transplant. 2. Kidney transplant With a kidney transplant, doctors take a healthy kidney from a donor and place it into a person whose kidneys have failed (a recipient). People who get a transplant typically live longer and have a better quality of life than those who stay on dialysis. “I am just starting to learn about living kidney donation.” Yes No Submit Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education

Understand the surgery process and know what to expect. Becoming a living liver donor Donor surgery In a living donor liver transplant, doctors remove between 25% and 65% of a donor’s liver (between a quarter and over half of the liver) and place it into the recipient’s body. Donor surgery usually follows these steps: 1 You and the recipient will go to the hospital on the day of the surgery. 2 Before your surgery, doctors will: Numb your belly area — the numbness will last 12-24 hours. This will help lower your pain after surgery and the amount of pain medicine you’ll need right after surgery. Put a needle into your vein to give you medicine and fluids (called an IV) Put you to sleep with general anesthesia Put in a catheter, which lets urine drain from your bladder while you’re asleep and recovering 3 Donor surgery usually takes 6-8 hours. There are 2 types of living donation surgeries: Open surgery: This is currently the more common type of surgery. A surgeon will: Make a large cut in your belly Remove part of your liver, carefully cutting the blood vessels and other tissues that attach the liver Close the cut with stitches Laparoscopic (also called minimally invasive ), where a surgeon will: Make small cuts in your belly Put a wand-like camera in the cuts so they can see your liver. They put air or gas in you, so they can see better inside your body. Remove part of your liver through a small cut Close the cuts with stitches After either type of surgery, surgeons place the donated liver into the recipient’s body right away. This surgery takes another 6-12 hours. More transplant centers are using robotic surgery . This is a type of minimally invasive surgery that uses robotic instruments and high-resolution cameras to remove a part of your liver. However, this is a new approach and not currently commonly used. Previous Next Progress through living liver donor education

Understand what costs are covered and are not covered. Learn about HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program. Benefits and risks of living organ donation Financial considerations Before deciding to donate, it might be helpful to learn about the different costs of donating. There are medical costs that are covered by the recipient’s insurance and other costs that might be covered by financial assistance programs. The transplant team will talk to you more about these costs during your evaluation. Which transplant costs are covered? A transplant recipient’s insurance generally covers a living donor’s medical costs, including: Evaluation Lab work Imaging, like CTs and X-rays Surgery Hospital stay from surgery If a donor has health problems after surgery related to donating, the recipient’s health insurance or the transplant center will help to cover these costs. Which costs are not covered? A recipient’s insurance does not cover the costs below because these are considered routine healthcare that everyone should be getting, whether they donate or not: Routine tests such as a colonoscopy, a mammogram for women, or a prostate exam for men Medical care if donor evaluation shows that a donor has a disease that needs to be treated before donating Long-term medical care if the donation causes a donor problems Follow-up care for the rest of a donor’s life If you don’t have health insurance, talk to the transplant team about finding low cost or free clinics in your area for these healthcare services. Other benefits that may help you If you are employed, talk with your employer about other benefits that could be helpful. These include: Vacation time Disability pay Sick time Leave of absence FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) – this may give you up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical needs What financial help is available for donors? HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program Health Services and Resources Administration’s (HRSA) Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program (LODRP) reimburses up to $6,000 of certain expenses for living donors and their caregivers on their trips to the transplant center for evaluation, surgery, and medical follow-up visits, such as: Travel, lodging, and meals Lost wages Child and dependent care costs To be eligible for reimbursement: The donor and recipient must both be U.S. citizens or lawfully present residents. The donor and recipient must both live in the U.S. or its territories. The donor’s application must be submitted and approved before the transplant surgery. The donor’s yearly household income (when they apply) should be at or below 500% of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines. Non-directed living donors (who are not donating to a specific person) can apply alone, without their recipient’s information. Before evaluation, talk to the transplant center about HRSA’s LODRP, including the full eligibility guidelines and types of expenses that can be reimbursed. Learn more about the LODRP The LODRP is administered through the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC). Other financial resources There are programs that can help with non-medical costs of donating a kidney. Talk to your living donor social worker about other financial resources that may be available to you. American Transplant Foundation (ATF): A patient assistance program to help with lost wages. americantransplantfoundation.org/programs/pap/ National Kidney Registry Donor Shield: A program that can offer reimbursement for certain costs such as lost wages, lodging, meals, and even pet care. donorshield.com/kidney-donors/ Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD): Donor Protect provides protection for every living kidney donor who donates a kidney through the APKD. This includes priority for a living donor transplant, should a living kidney donor ever need one, and financial support. paireddonation.org/donorprotect/ American Kidney Fund (AKF): Offers financial support for living kidney donors in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. kidneyfund.org/get-assistance/living-donor-assistance-program These are not all the possible resources that may be available to you, and their inclusion on this website is not an endorsement of these services. Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education

Learn abour directed donation, non-directed donation, and how donations are matched. Becoming a living kidney donor As a donor, who can I donate to? As a donor, you may be able to donate directly to a specific person, or more generally to anyone in need of a kidney transplant. Directed donation Directed donation is when you donate an organ to a specific person. In directed donation, the donor may be: A blood relative of the recipient, such as a parent, brother, sister, or adult child Someone close to the recipient, such as a spouse, a friend, or a co-worker Someone who the donor has heard about but does not know personally Non-directed donation Non-directed donation is when you want to donate but do not know (and may never know) the person you will donate to. In non-directed donation, the donor may be: Someone wishing to donate to a stranger on the transplant waitlist Someone who begins the process to donate to a friend or family member, but later decides to donate to a stranger after the friend or family member gets an organ from someone else How will I know if I match with someone in need of a kidney? If you match with someone well (called medically compatible), this will lower the chance that the recipient’s body will reject the transplanted kidney. Rejection is when a recipient’s body sees the new kidney as foreign and tries to attack or destroy it. This could lead to the transplant failing. Transplant centers do tests to match donors and recipients by: Blood type: Certain donor blood types only work with certain recipient blood types: If your blood type is... The recipient's blood type must be... If your blood type is O The recipient's blood type must be A, B, AB, or O If your blood type is AB The recipient's blood type must be AB If your blood type is A The recipient's blood type must be A or AB If your blood type is B The recipient's blood type must be B or AB Tissue typing (also called “HLA typing”): A blood test that compares 6 antigens (proteins found on cells). The more antigens that match between you and the recipient, the more likely the recipient’s body will accept the donated kidney (and the less likely it will be to reject it). Crossmatching : Another blood test in which your blood is mixed with the recipient’s blood to see if the antibodies (proteins in the immune system) in the blood react to each other. If they do, it means the recipient’s body is likely to reject the donated kidney. Can I still donate if I am not a match with the recipient? Sometimes, someone is healthy and wants to donate a kidney to a specific person, but tests show the 2 people do not match (are not medically compatible). There are still ways to donate to help the person in need of a transplant. Kidney paired donation (KPD) is when a computer, with information added by the transplant team, matches donors and recipients to create compatible pairs. Think about it as a swap or an exchange. Here’s how it works: You want to donate a kidney to someone, but you do not match. Another person wants to donate a kidney to someone, but they also do not match. A computer matches you with a compatible recipient, and their donor matches with your recipient. Swapping donors allows both transplants to happen. Another option is through a voucher program. This is when a donor gives a kidney now and gets a “voucher.” Their intended recipient can use this voucher for a future matching living donor kidney. KPD and the voucher program allow hundreds of people to get a transplant each year. These programs may allow the person you want to help to get a living donor transplant more quickly. Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education

Your trusted hub for clear information, real stories, financial help, and practical resources on living organ donation. Online hub coming soon The Public Education - Living Organ Donor Reimbursement Program (PE-LODRP) is creating an online hub for clear information, real stories, and practical resources related to living organ donation, including financial reimbursement for living donors. Become a community partner now! Join our partner network to be the first to know when the online hub launches! Plus get trusted updates, actionable learning resources, and opportunities to engage with people who care about living organ donation! Join us! The ELD Collaborative The Explore Living Donation (ELD) initiative is led by a collaborative that brings together an internationally known, uniquely qualified team that embodies the intersection of health literacy, transplant expertise, patient-centered care, and lived experience. These partners are more than names on a list—they’re living collaborations that bring together expertise, resources, and passion to create change.

Understand the eligibility to become a living kidney donor. Becoming a living kidney donor Who can be a living kidney donor? To be a living donor, you must: Be an adult (over age 18) able to make an informed decision Be in good physical and mental health Understand the risks and benefits of living donation Decide for yourself if living donation is right for you As a potential kidney donor, you will work with a transplant center throughout the donation process. This is a healthcare facility dedicated to transplant care. Did you know? People can live long, healthy lives with 1 kidney. The transplant center staff will need a lot of information about you to make sure you are healthy enough to donate in order to make the final decision. Certain health issues may cause the transplant center staff not to approve you to donate an organ. This is for your health and safety. Different transplant centers may have different criteria, but here are some examples of such health issues: Uncontrolled high blood pressure Untreated psychiatric (mental health) condition Cancer Diabetes Certain infections If you are not approved at one transplant center, you may be able to try other centers. And sometimes, the transplant team may ask you to work on certain health issues, such as to quit smoking, and come back in 3-6 months to try again. They can refer you to resources to help with these health issues. Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education

Understand what costs are covered and are not covered. Learn about HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program. Benefits and risks of living organ donation Financial considerations Before deciding to donate, it might be helpful to learn about the different costs of donating. There are medical costs that are covered by the recipient’s insurance and other costs that might be covered by financial assistance programs. The transplant team will talk to you more about these costs during your evaluation. Which transplant costs are covered? A transplant recipient’s insurance generally covers a living donor’s medical costs, including: Evaluation Lab work Imaging, like CTs and X-rays Surgery Hospital stay from surgery If a donor has health problems after surgery related to donating, the recipient’s health insurance or the transplant center will help to cover these costs. Which costs are not covered? A recipient’s insurance does not cover the costs below because these are considered routine healthcare that everyone should be getting, whether they donate or not: Routine tests such as a colonoscopy, a mammogram for women, or a prostate exam for men Medical care if donor evaluation shows that a donor has a disease that needs to be treated before donating Long-term medical care if the donation causes a donor problems Follow-up care for the rest of a donor’s life If you don’t have health insurance, talk to the transplant team about finding low cost or free clinics in your area for these healthcare services. What financial help is available for donors? HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program Health Services and Resources Administration’s (HRSA) Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program (LODRP) reimburses up to $6,000 of certain expenses for living donors and their caregivers on their trips to the transplant center for evaluation, surgery, and medical follow-up visits, such as: Travel, lodging, and meals Lost wages Child and dependent care costs To be eligible for reimbursement: The donor and recipient must both be U.S. citizens or lawfully present residents. The donor and recipient must both live in the U.S. or its territories. The donor’s application must be submitted and approved before the transplant surgery. The donor’s yearly household income (when they apply) should be at or below 500% of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines. Other benefits that may help you If you are employed, talk with your employer about other benefits that could be helpful. These include: Vacation time Disability pay Sick time Leave of absence FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) – this may give you up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical needs Non-directed living donors (who are not donating to a specific person) can apply alone, without their recipient’s information. Before evaluation, talk to the transplant center about HRSA’s LODRP, including the full eligibility guidelines and types of expenses that can be reimbursed. Learn more about the LODRP The LODRP is administered through the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC). Other financial resources There are programs that can help with non-medical costs of donating a part of a liver. Talk to your living donor social worker about other financial resources that may be available to you. American Transplant Foundation (ATF): A patient assistance program to help with lost wages. americantransplantfoundation.org/programs/pap National Liver Registry Donor Shield : A program that can offer reimbursement for certain costs such as lost wages, lodging, meals, and even pet care. donorshield.com/liver-donors These are not all the possible resources that may be available to you, and their inclusion on this website is not an endorsement of these services. Previous Next Progress through living liver donor education

Start learning about living kidney or living liver donation. Which organ are you interested in learning more about donating? Kidney Learn about living kidney donation — what it is, how the process works, how to become a donor, and financial help. Living kidney donation Liver Learn about living liver donation — what it is, how the process works, how to become a donor, and financial help. Living liver donation

Consider the medical risks during and after donation surgery and recovery. Benefits and risks of living organ donation If you are exploring living donation, it’s important to weigh the possible benefits and risks of donating. The possible benefits of donating include: Knowing you’ve helped someone live a longer life Sometimes the screening process can find health problems early so they can be treated. The possible risks of donating include: Medical considerations Financial considerations Emotional and social considerations These risks are described below. Medical considerations of organ donation What are the risks during surgery? Very rare risks may include: Bleeding Injury to nearby organs Problems from the anesthesia (medicines to make someone unconscious and unable to feel pain during surgery) such as an allergic reaction What are the risks after surgery? Right after surgery, donors may have some minor, short-term discomfort, such as: Pain and discomfort Bloating Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) Feeling tired and weak Hernia (a bulge or lump when part of an organ or tissue in the body pushes through an opening or weak spot in a muscle wall) Scars Very few donors have very rare, more serious problems from surgery, including: Problems from being put to sleep, such as confusion after surgery, pneumonia (lung infection), stroke, or heart attack Infection Fever Bleeding and blood clots These more serious problems are rare. And the risk of death is about 0.1% (about 1 in 1,000 donors). What are the risks during recovery? During recovery, donors may feel tired for a few weeks. While the stitches from the surgery heal, they might feel: Tenderness Itching Pain From the gas the surgeon uses to see better during the surgery, donors may: Feel discomfort Have shoulder pain — gas left in the body can move up to the shoulder Other very rare, more serious problems may include: Infection Pneumonia (lung infection) Blood clots Intestinal problems (such as a blockage) Bile duct problems — bile is a thick fluid made by the liver that helps with digestion. After surgery, bile can leak from where surgeons cut the bile duct, which is the tube that connects the liver to the gallbladder, where bile is stored. Or, the bile duct can become narrowed or blocked. Liver failure, and if this happens, the donor will get priority on the liver transplant waitlist to get a deceased donor liver What are the risks after recovery? With any major surgery there are always risks and problems to consider. Even though the liver regrows, liver donors should always follow their transplant doctor’s recommendations for lifestyle changes to lower the chance of any potential problems. Previous Next Progress through living liver donor education

Consider the medical risks during and after donation surgery and recovery. Benefits and risks of living organ donation If you are exploring living donation, it’s important to weigh the possible benefits and risks of donating. The possible benefits of donating include: Knowing you’ve helped someone live a longer life Sometimes the screening process can find health problems early so they can be treated. The possible risks of donating include: Medical considerations Financial considerations Emotional and social considerations These risks are described below. Medical considerations of organ donation What are the risks during surgery? Normally, surgeons remove the kidney with laparoscopic surgery. This is when they remove the kidney through an opening only a few inches long. However, if there are problems during a laparoscopic surgery, which is very rare, they may have to make the opening larger and recovery may take longer. Other very rare risks may include: Bleeding Injury to nearby organs Problems from the anesthesia (medicines to make someone unconscious and unable to feel pain during surgery) such as an allergic reaction What are the risks after surgery? Right after surgery, donors may have some minor, short-term discomfort, such as: Bloating Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) Scars and pain Feeling tired and weak Hernia (a bulge or lump when part of an organ or tissue in the body pushes through an opening or weak spot in a muscle wall) Very few donors have very rare, more serious problems from surgery, including: Problems from being put to sleep, such as confusion after surgery, pneumonia (lung infection), stroke, or heart attack Infection Fever Bleeding and blood clots These more serious problems happen in less than 5% of donors (less than 1 in 20 donors). And the risk of death is less than 0.03% (less than 3 in 10,000 donors). What are the risks during recovery? During recovery, donors may feel tired for a few weeks. While the stitches from the surgery heal, they might feel: Tenderness Itching Pain From the gas the surgeon uses to see better during the surgery, donors may: Feel discomfort Have shoulder pain — gas left in the body can move up to the shoulder Other very rare, more serious problems may include: Infection Pneumonia (lung infection) Blood clots What are the risks after recovery? Most donors who follow a healthy lifestyle after surgery are just as healthy after donation as people who have not donated. For most donors, the remaining kidney works well for the rest of their lives. Very few donors have very rare, more serious problems after recovery, such as: High blood pressure or diabetes, which are treatable For people who can get pregnant, a small chance of high blood pressure during future pregnancies Kidney failure, and if this happens, the donor will get priority on the kidney transplant waitlist to get a deceased donor kidney Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education

Both of these organs can be donated by living donors to save someone’s life. Learn more about living donation. Comparing living kidney and liver donation Living organ donation is when a person donates an organ or part of an organ while they are alive to someone in need. There is currently an organ shortage. Kidneys are the organs most frequently needed, followed by livers. In 2026: Over 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant. Over 9,000 people are waiting for a liver transplant. Both of these organs can be donated by living donors to save someone’s life. Living organ donation can: Lower someone’s wait time for an organ transplant Provide typically longer-lasting and quicker working transplants compared to organs from deceased donors For kidney, prevent the need for dialysis for someone with kidney disease, or shorten the time they need dialysis For liver, lower the number of people who die while waiting for a deceased donor transplant How do living kidney and liver donation compare? Living donor evaluation and surgery Kidney Liver Does the person in need of an organ transplant have other options than getting a living donor transplant? Yes. The person can start dialysis, where a machine filters their blood to remove toxins when their kidney doesn’t work. This process is life-saving but can cause heart and other health problems over many years. They can also wait for a kidney from a deceased donor, which can take many years. Yes. The person can wait for a liver from a deceased donor. The wait can take anywhere from less than 30 days to more than 5 years, with the average being about 11 months (for adults). How is a living donor transplant better than a deceased donor transplant? A person in need of a transplant can get a kidney sooner, reducing future health problems from dialysis, and can have surgery when they feel most healthy, helping the transplant to be more successful. A living donor kidney also lasts longer (about 15-20 years) than a deceased donor kidney (10-15 years). A person in need of a transplant can get a liver donation sooner, and this can be a lifesaving alternative to a deceased donor transplant. Because living donations can be scheduled, the surgery can take place when the recipient is in optimal health. However, because the surgery is complex, living and deceased donor liver transplants have very similar long-term outcomes, with some studies showing a slight advantage for living donor transplants. How long does the process of donor evaluation, surgery, and recovery take? The total time can be anywhere from 3 months to 1 year or more. The total time can be anywhere from several months to 1 year or more. In an emergency, it can happen faster than that, which can shorten the overall process. What do living donors actually donate? Donors donate 1 of their 2 kidneys . The kidney that stays in the donor grows in size to make up for the work that the donated kidney was doing. Donors donate a part of their liver . Remaining liver cells grow or refresh until their liver has grown back to its original size. How does it work to match a donor and recipient? The health care team compares blood types and other lab tests between the donor and recipient. The health care team compares blood types and other lab tests between the donor and recipient. They also look at the size of the donor’s and recipient’s livers and the location of its blood vessels to make sure that the recipient’s body will accept the new organ. What is donation surgery like? It is often a minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery, in which surgeons: Make small cuts in a donor’s belly Put a wand-like camera in the cuts so they can see the kidney Take the kidney out through a small cut Close the cuts with stitches. Living kidney donation surgery can take 3-4 hours. The goal is often to do minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery. But open surgery is more common, in which surgeons: Make a large cut in a donor’s belly Remove part of their liver, carefully cutting the blood vessels and other tissues that attach the liver Close the cut with stitches. Living liver donation surgery can take 6-8 hours. What are the risks of surgery? Every surgery has risks. Possible minor risks during or right after living kidney donation surgery include: Bloating Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) Scars and pain Feeling tired and weak Hernia (a bulge or lump when part of an organ or tissue in the body pushes through an opening or weak spot in a muscle wall) Similar risks as kidney donation. Does the person in need of an organ transplant have other options than getting a living donor transplant? Kidney Yes. The person can start dialysis, where a machine filters their blood to remove toxins when their kidney doesn’t work. This process is life-saving but can cause heart and other health problems over many years. They can also wait for a kidney from a deceased donor, which can take many years. Liver Yes. The person can wait for a liver from a deceased donor. The wait can take anywhere from less than 30 days to more than 5 years, with the average being about 11 months (for adults). How is a living donor transplant better than a deceased donor transplant? Kidney A person in need of a transplant can get a kidney sooner, reducing future health problems from dialysis, and can have surgery when they feel most healthy, helping the transplant to be more successful. A living donor kidney also lasts longer (about 15-20 years) than a deceased donor kidney (10-15 years). Liver A person in need of a transplant can get a liver donation sooner, and this can be a lifesaving alternative to a deceased donor transplant. Because living donations can be scheduled, the surgery can take place when the recipient is in optimal health. However, because the surgery is complex, living and deceased donor liver transplants have very similar long-term outcomes, with some studies showing a slight advantage for living donor transplants. How long does the process of donor evaluation, surgery, and recovery take? Kidney The total time can be anywhere from 3 months to 1 year or more. Liver The total time can be anywhere from several months to 1 year or more. In an emergency, it can happen faster than that, which can shorten the overall process. What do living donors actually donate? Kidney Donors donate 1 of their 2 kidneys . The kidney that stays in the donor grows in size to make up for the work that the donated kidney was doing. Liver Donors donate a part of their liver . Remaining liver cells grow or refresh until their liver has grown back to its original size. How does it work to match a donor and recipient? Kidney The health care team compares blood types and other lab tests between the donor and recipient. Liver The health care team compares blood types and other lab tests between the donor and recipient. They also look at the size of the donor’s and recipient’s livers and the location of its blood vessels to make sure that the recipient’s body will accept the new organ. What is donation surgery like? Kidney It is often a minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery, in which surgeons: Make small cuts in a donor’s belly Put a wand-like camera in the cuts so they can see the kidney Take the kidney out through a small cut Close the cuts with stitches. Living kidney donation surgery can take 3-4 hours. Liver The goal is often to do minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery. But open surgery is more common, in which surgeons: Make a large cut in a donor’s belly Remove part of their liver, carefully cutting the blood vessels and other tissues that attach the liver Close the cut with stitches. Living liver donation surgery can take 6-8 hours. What are the risks of surgery? Kidney Every surgery has risks. Possible minor risks during or right after living kidney donation surgery include: Bloating Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) Scars and pain Feeling tired and weak Hernia (a bulge or lump when part of an organ or tissue in the body pushes through an opening or weak spot in a muscle wall) Liver Similar risks as kidney donation. Recovery from surgery Title Kidney Liver How long is the hospital stay for donation surgery and recovery? Usually 1-2 days Usually about 1 week How long until donors can resume normal activities? Most donors return to normal activity 4-6 weeks after speaking with their doctor. Donors should always speak with their transplant doctor about the right time to return to their activities. Most donors return to normal activity 8-12 weeks after speaking with their doctor. Donors should always speak with their transplant doctor about the right time to return to their activities. How well does the remaining organ work? People can live long, healthy lives with 1 kidney. Over the 3-6 months after surgery, the donor’s remaining kidney will get bigger and do the work of both kidneys. A donor’s liver begins to grow back (regenerate) right away after surgery. It will return to full size in 2-3 months. Even while the liver regrows, the part that is left can make up for the work that the full liver normally does. Do people regret donating afterwards? Research shows that most kidney donors (over 90%) do not regret their decision to donate, especially those who feel informed and well supported. Research shows that most liver donors (97%) do not regret their decision to donate, especially those who were well supported. In the first year after donation, some people report anxious feelings and pain, but they still do not regret their decision. How long is the hospital stay for donation surgery and recovery? Kidney Usually 1-2 days Liver Usually about 1 week How long until donors can resume normal activities? Kidney Most donors return to normal activity 4-6 weeks after speaking with their doctor. Donors should always speak with their transplant doctor about the right time to return to their activities. Liver Most donors return to normal activity 8-12 weeks after speaking with their doctor. Donors should always speak with their transplant doctor about the right time to return to their activities. How well does the remaining organ work? Kidney People can live long, healthy lives with 1 kidney. Over the 3-6 months after surgery, the donor’s remaining kidney will get bigger and do the work of both kidneys. Liver A donor’s liver begins to grow back (regenerate) right away after surgery. It will return to full size in 2-3 months. Even while the liver regrows, the part that is left can make up for the work that the full liver normally does. Do people regret donating afterwards? Kidney Research shows that most kidney donors (over 90%) do not regret their decision to donate, especially those who feel informed and well supported. Liver Research shows that most liver donors (97%) do not regret their decision to donate, especially those who were well supported. In the first year after donation, some people report anxious feelings and pain, but they still do not regret their decision. Costs Kidney Liver Are there costs to donating? Living donors do not have to pay for medical costs because the recipient’s insurance covers these costs. A donor may have lost wages from time off work or other costs related to donating. However, there are programs to help cover these costs. Same cost information as kidney donation. Are there costs to donating? Kidney Living donors do not have to pay for medical costs because the recipient’s insurance covers these costs. A donor may have lost wages from time off work or other costs related to donating. However, there are programs to help cover these costs. Liver Same cost information as kidney donation. How organ donation helps the recipient Kidney Liver How long does a functioning transplant work? 90% of living donor kidneys still work after 5 years, compared to 82% of deceased donor kidneys. 82% of living donor livers still work after 5 years, compared to 78% of deceased donor livers. How much does a transplant help the recipient? Living kidney donation can prevent—or shorten—the need for dialysis. Research has shown that people who get living donor kidneys have longer-lasting and quicker working transplants than those who get deceased donor kidneys. People with transplants live longer and feel better than people waiting for a kidney. Living liver donation provides a life-saving organ transplant for someone with liver disease or liver cancer. People who get living donor livers have as good or better outcomes than those who get deceased donor livers. How long does a functioning transplant work? Kidney 90% of living donor kidneys still work after 5 years, compared to 82% of deceased donor kidneys. Liver 82% of living donor livers still work after 5 years, compared to 78% of deceased donor livers. How much does a transplant help the recipient? Kidney Living kidney donation can prevent—or shorten—the need for dialysis. Research has shown that people who get living donor kidneys have longer-lasting and quicker working transplants than those who get deceased donor kidneys. People with transplants live longer and feel better than people waiting for a kidney. Liver Living liver donation provides a life-saving organ transplant for someone with liver disease or liver cancer. People who get living donor livers have as good or better outcomes than those who get deceased donor livers.

How to become a living donor. Read more about the screening process Becoming a living kidney donor What is the living donation process like? The living donation process includes: Donor screening Donor evaluation Donor surgery These steps are described below. Donor screening The first step is to contact a transplant center , which is a healthcare facility dedicated to transplant care: If you’re trying to donate to someone you know, you’ll reach out to the center where they are on the waitlist. If you don’t have a specific person you’d like to donate to, you can begin the process at any transplant center. Here is what happens when you contact a transplant center: 1 A living donor staff member will briefly explain the donation process and ask if you agree to give some information about your health - this is called your consent. Your consent begins the process. 2 They will then ask you screening questions about your health either by an online form or over the phone. 3 The transplant team will consider your answers, and things like certain health issues you have, to decide if you can continue to the next step, called donor evaluation. Transplant centers have different criteria for certain health issues and their risks to donors, so even if you have some minor health issues, it may be possible to donate. Transplant staff will explain their decision to you. Previous Next Progress through living kidney donor education