Living Donor Kidney Transplant Evaluation
The first step in living donor kidney transplantation
is to ensure the donor's blood
group (ABO) is
compatible with the recipient's. This is a simple
blood test that can be done at a laboratory near
the donor's home. The next step is further blood
tests -- called tissue typing -- to determine
compatibility between the donor and recipient.
Once tissue typing is complete, the donor will
undergo a complete medical history and physical
examination.
The evaluation includes blood and urine studies,
a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram
(EKG), and kidney
imaging. The kidney imaging -- called a CT angiogram
-- determines if the donor has normal kidneys
and helps the surgeon determine which kidney
will be transplanted.
Other tests, such as a glucose tolerance
test, may be necessary if there
is a family history of diabetes. These outpatient
tests are based on the donor's particular needs.
Reviewed by Robert
Grossman, MD
Last updated January 2007
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