For patients who are experiencing organ failure and are in need of a transplant, finding a living related organ donor can be the best way to get a transplant without an extended waiting period. Living related donation is the original type of organ donation, starting with the first kidney transplant in 1954, with a kidney donated by the patient's identical twin.
Living related donation is becoming more popular as patients are waiting longer than ever for a transplant. A patient’s best chance for a transplant, without the extended wait, is to find a donor from their family or a friend.
Kidneys are not the only organ that can be donated by a living donor; liver segments, lung segments and intestine segments can be donated by a relative. This type of donation decreases the wait for a transplant, which is especially important because patients often get sicker as they wait. Shorter waiting times improve the chance of an excellent outcome, as the recipient is healthier and better able to tolerate surgery at the time of transplant.
