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Home > Health Library > Living Organ Donation
More than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ to become available for a transplant that can save their lives. Many organ donors are living donors.
Most people can be organ donors. Many people choose to donate an organ upon their death. But a person can donate certain organs while he or she is still living. These people are called "living donors."
A living donor needs to be:
You can direct your donation to someone you know: a family member, a friend, a coworker, or a person that you know needs an organ. Or you can donate to someone in need by donating to the national waiting list. You may also want to talk with your doctor about paired organ exchange. This program helps find organ matches between people who may not know each other. Medical tests will show if your organ is a good match with the recipient.
If you do a directed donation, your organ goes only to the person you name. If you donate to the national waiting list, your organ will go to an anonymous person on the list. If you donate to the national waiting list, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network uses a computer to match your organ with possible recipients based on things such as tissue and blood type.
Living donors can donate these organs:
You can also donate bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and peripheral blood stem cells.
When you are a possible living donor, your rights and privacy are carefully protected. It's also very important to be informed about the risks of donating an organ. To help you make the best decision for you, you will have an independent donor advocate (IDA) who will guide you and answer your questions.
Here are the steps for making a donation:
Two types of surgery are commonly used to remove an organ or a portion of an organ from a living donor.
Throughout the planning process, know that it's never too late to change your mind about donating an organ. Talk with your IDA and others you trust to be sure you're making the right decision for you. Your long-term health is just as important as that of the person who will receive your donation.
You don't have to be in perfect health to donate an organ. As long as the organ you donate is healthy, there are a lot of health conditions that won't prevent a successful donation.
Living organ donation can be risky for both the donor and the recipient. Removing an organ, or a part of an organ, from your body involves major surgery. There is always the risk of complications from surgery, such as pain, infection, pneumonia, bleeding, and even death. After the surgery you may face changes in your body from having removed one of your organs.
Living organ donation can be costly. Your medical expenses related to the transplant surgery will be paid for by the recipient's insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare. You may get help with some of your travel expenses, either through the recipient or the National Living Donor Assistance Center. But also think of your costs in terms of lost wages, child care, and possible medical problems in the future. Your own insurance premiums may rise after the surgery, and later you might have problems getting or keeping health, life, or disability insurance. Check with your insurance provider for more information about how your donation may affect your coverage.
Living organ donation is rewarding. After a successful transplant, most donors feel a special sense of well-being because they have saved a life.
All major religions allow organ donation. The Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu faiths encourage organ donation or leave it up to individual choice. Ask your spiritual advisor if you have questions about your religion's views on organ donation.
Current as of:
September 9, 2019
Author: Healthwise StaffMedical Review: E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal MedicineAdam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Current as of: September 9, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
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