You must be at least 18 years old to be able to donate a kidney. There is no age limit, but there is a need for a doctor to make sure that you are eligible for the surgery.
If you have kidney disease, it is not a good idea to donate, and also if you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, HIV, hepatitis, severe infections or even a psychological condition that requires treatment.
Don’t worry, your kidneys will not be exactly the same as the one you are replacing. It is better if it is identical or blood type compatible, but some transplant centers can make the kidney work even if it is not, and this option is better than not having a kidney at all.
If you need a kidney, you have a choice between someone who is alive and someone who has recently passed away. You have to choose a kidney from a living donor, as it is ready and working faster, while the other kidneys may take some time to prepare, as you may need to continue dialysis for a few days after surgery.
If you have donated a kidney, you will stay in the hospital for a short time, from 3 days to a maximum of a week. You will recover completely 4-6 weeks after surgery. If you did get a kidney, you will stay in the hospital for a longer period of up to 10 days. You may need to spend the first and / or second day in
the intensive care unit while your body gets used to the new machine. It is expected to return to normal within 6-8 weeks.
Today, thanks to new technology, the operation will not leave large scars. Instead of the traditional open surgery, you can undergo laparoscopic surgery, in this way only a small incision will be made to remove the kidney.
The kidney will not stay with you forever, but it will last about 10 years if it is from a deceased donor and 15 years if it is from a surviving person. You can take simple steps to keep the new kidney and these include: eating healthy food, getting regular exercise, taking anti-rejection medication, and keeping your health status, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, under control.
