Live Donor Kidney Transplant Requirements
The specialists at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center can help you understand the requirements for live donor kidney transplantation.
To become a live donor, you must:
- Be over age 18
- Be willing to commit to the pre-donation evaluation process, surgery and the burden of recovery
- Be in good health and psychological condition
- Have a compatible blood type
- Have normal kidney function
In certain situations, you must meet additional requirements to become a live donor. You may have to do this if you:
- Are an incompatible cross-match (you are not compatible based on antibodies)
- Have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30
- Have high blood pressure
- Have a history of kidney stones
- Have an incompatible blood type
You cannot be a live donor if you:
- Are under age 18
- Have heart disease, diabetes or cancer
- Have chronic kidney problems
- Have any conditions that may jeopardize your health by kidney donation (e.g., pregnancy, being underweight, etc.)