My son wants to test to donate his kidney, what do I advise him?

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I am a nursing student, at age 45. My 19 year old son is contemplating getting tested for donating a kidney to a close family friend. He may or may not be compatible but my thought is he should know the pro/cons before he commits to the test. I don't want him to find out he is compatible and then not want to do it and be guilted into it...I thought with nurses in the specialty, you could really give him the best advice because you are the ones who see the good/bad/ and the ugly of reality. What should he know? At 19 years of age he is invincible but we have a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease in our family....Thank you.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm an APN in a large nephrology practice that also does transplants. There is very strict criteria to be able to donate. The transplant team has two separate groups of people: ones that evaluate the recipient as well as a completely separate one that evaluates the potential donor.

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Well, his family history certainly predisposed him to the potential for renal failure. I would sure try to dissuade him.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

The following are contraindications for living kidney donor candidates:

  • History of high blood pressure
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Kidney problems of their own

These conditions could lead to future health problems for the donor.

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Specializes in med-surg; peds; case management.

You might want to check out:

http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingDonors/info.cfm

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Here is another resource. I personally took care of a dialysis patient who had donated a kidney years before.

http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/18/5/871

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