Living kidney donation
Living kidney donor risks
If the donor does not have any prior health problems, they can live a normal life with only one kidney. The filtration capacity of the remaining kidney increases and partially compensates for the filtration work of the kidney that was removed.
After donating a kidney, once the donor has recovered, they can resume their activities. They do not have to take medication on a regular basis.
There is a certain risk associated with any surgery. The risk of significant complications in the case of kidney removal is less than 5% and the risk of death is estimated to be 0.03%. Several years after kidney donation, some donors may experience medical complications, such as:
- a slight increase in blood pressure;
- an increase in the amount of protein in urine;
- a deterioration in the filtration efficiency of the remaining kidney, which can lead to kidney failure.
Last update: February 4, 2021