A legacy of excellence in living kidney transplantation
Home to one of the largest and most experienced kidney transplant programs in the nation, the Penn Transplant Institute has a long-standing history of consistently successful outcomes for complex living donor kidney transplants. We perform more than three times the amount of kidney transplants through living donation than our closest regional competitor, contributing significantly to our region's transplant success.
Our Living Donor Kidney Transplant program is recognized for providing exceptional care that leads to excellent survival outcomes for both donors and recipients. We are committed to prioritizing donor safety and support throughout the entire process, and are actively engaged in research to make kidney transplantation safer and more effective for everyone involved.
Life-saving power of living kidney donation
When you give a kidney as a living donor, you save a life. Thousands of people need a new kidney, but there aren’t enough available. In the U.S., over 90,000 people are on the kidney transplant waiting list and more than 4,000 people die each year while waiting for one.
Donors choose to give for various reasons, whether it's to help a family member or friend or to make a difference for a stranger. Almost all living donors—99 percent—say they’d recommend donating a kidney. Additionally, organs transplanted from living donors typically last longer than from a deceased donor, allowing the recipient a chance at a better quality of life.
Living kidney donor requirements
The safety of our living donors is our top priority, so donors must meet several requirements. In general, kidney donors must be between ages 20 and 70, have normal kidney function, and be in good physical and mental health. In addition, they should have:
A designated primary care provider
A support system to assist during recovery
Health insurance
We take each potential donor through a comprehensive medical evaluation to make sure they’re healthy enough for donation.
What are the types of kidney donation?
Donating a kidney always benefits a recipient, but there are situations where the donor and recipient may not know each other. The three types of living kidney donation are:
Directed donation: The donor knows who’ll receive the donated kidney. This is the most common type of living kidney donation, often between biological relatives who are a match.
Paired kidney donation: If the donor and intended recipient aren’t a match, there may be a match with a different donor-recipient pair. The donors and recipients then get swapped, and each recipient receives a transplanted kidney. Sometimes, long chains of paired donations occur, which allows for the best possible matches for many recipients.
Non-directed kidney donation (altruistic donation): A donor chooses to donate a kidney to an unknown recipient.
Penn Medicine partners with the National Kidney Registry, an organization that coordinates kidney transplants in the U.S. This partnership enables efficient matching of donor-recipient pairs.
Living kidney donation process
We strive to make the organ donation process as smooth and supportive as possible. The steps of our streamlined kidney donation process include:
Donation starts with our donor screening form. After you complete the form, we email you orders for blood and urine testing that you can take to any lab. Once we receive the results, you speak to your Living Donor Advocate and watch several educational videos.
During your evaluation, you meet with our team members and undergo more medical tests. You can complete some visits and tests at a Penn Medicine satellite location or virtually via telemedicine.
Evaluation can take several months. We evaluate your physical and emotional health and your motivations for donating. Our goal is to make sure you’re healthy enough to donate a kidney and that donation is the right choice for you.
During your preoperative visit, you meet with your dedicated surgical team. They explain the kidney transplant procedure and what to expect after surgery.
The surgery itself takes about three hours. Most patients go home in a day or two and return to normal activities within four weeks.
Your follow-up care includes a post-operative visit after three weeks, and additional visits after six months, one year, and two years. After surgery and into the future, our team is available for any questions or concerns you may have.
Register to become a donor
If you’re ready to take the first step toward living liver donation, please fill out the screening form to become a potential donor.
We recognize the sacrifice kidney donors make. That’s why we provide support and protections to make your donation experience as comfortable as possible:
Most past donors are happy to share their donation experience with potential donors. Our nurse coordinator can connect you with a past Penn Medicine donor who can answer questions and help guide you through the donation process. We also partner with the National Kidney Donation Organization to provide donor mentoring and education.
Your Penn Medicine donor advocate is one of the first people you meet and checks in with you frequently. The advocate is independent from the medical team and ensures your donor rights are protected—including your right to opt out of donation at any point in the process.
Our team makes every effort to minimize your costs. We also offer lodging at the Clyde F. Barker Penn Transplant House for families traveling more than 40 miles.
In the unlikely event your remaining kidney fails, the National Kidney Registry’s Donor Shield program allows you to receive prioritization for a living donor kidney transplant.
The National Kidney Registry gives you up to five vouchers for family members who aren’t currently in need of a transplant. The voucher prioritizes them for a living kidney donation if they ever need a kidney transplant in the future.
This voucher allows you to donate in advance according to your schedule. Your selected recipient receives a living donor kidney through the National Kidney Registry when they’re ready.
Comprehensive living kidney donor care at Penn Medicine
Most people are born with two kidneys and can live a full and healthy life with just one, but we understand that donating a kidney is a significant decision.
At Penn Medicine, you’re in the excellent hands of the most experienced living donor kidney transplant program in the region. Our team performs more than 70 living donor kidney transplants each year. Our doctors are also leaders in research to make transplant surgery safer for donors and recipients and make donated organs last longer.
Our team is here to offer the best medical care and continuous support throughout the process. We also add personal touches, like donor gift bags and personalized music in the operating room, to make donors feel comforted and valued. After surgery, we provide close follow-up care for continued good health.
Living with one kidney
People lead healthy lives with one kidney, and your life after donation will be nearly identical to your life today. Your remaining kidney will grow in size to be able to do the job of filtering your blood and producing urine. After you heal from surgery, you may even forget at times that you’ve donated a kidney.
During your education sessions, we teach you how to protect your remaining kidney. Steps to take include avoiding certain medications and scheduling routine appointments with your primary care provider.
Schedule an appointment
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