The Long Term Medical and Psychological Implications of Becoming a Living Kidney Donor: A Prospective Pilot Study

Kidney transplantation, a 'miracle' of modern medicine, is the preferred treatment option for End Stage Renal Disease compared to dialysis, patients who receive kidneys have a 70% reduction in risk of death, a dramatically improved quality of life and cost the health care system considerably less. As a result there are over 3000 Canadians, and 57,000 Americans on the waiting list for a kidney. To meet the shortage in cadaveric kidneys, rates of living kidney donation have nearly doubled over the last 10 years, and will continue to rise with growing demand.

Yet despite its advantages for the recipient, living kidney donation remains a complex ethical, moral and medical issue. The premise for accepting living donors is that the "minimal" risk of short and long-term medical harm realized by the donor is outweighed by the definite advantages to the recipient and potential psychosocial benefits of the altruistic gift to the donor. The only benefit for the living donor is psychological - donors experience increased self-esteem, feelings of well-being and improved health related quality of life with their altruistic act of assuming medical risk to help another. The short-term consequences of living donation are well established. On the other hand the long-term implications of living kidney donation are far less certain. This study will look at the long term implications of living kidney donation.