There are two ways to obtain a kidney for transplant: either from a person who has recently died and made the decision to be an organ donor or from a living person who has two healthy kidneys. With either, the recipient must be evaluated at a transplant center and approved for the transplant waitlist. In most cases, a potential living donor needs to be evaluated also.
Physical Health You’ll be thoroughly checked out to make sure you can tolerate a transplant procedure. You’ll have blood tests, imaging tests, evaluations of your kidney function, blood and tissue type compatibility testing, screenings for certain cancers, and testing for the presence of infections (such as hepatitis B or C and HIV).
Mental Health Transplantation is a life-changing event, and you’ll be evaluated to make sure you’re mentally ready for a kidney transplant, can cope with the stress of undergoing a transplant, and can participate in your care afterward.
Financial Considerations Transplants and their associated care are very expensive. The transplant team may have you meet with a financial counselor or social worker to discuss your health insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs, and, if needed, resources to help cover the cost.
If you’re declared a good candidate for transplant, you may be added to the national waiting list for a donor kidney. However, if you already have a living donor lined up, the transplant can proceed as soon as you both are ready.
Patients with C3G and IC-MPGN follow the same procedures as anyone else when transplant is being considered. However, there is a high risk that these diseases will recur after transplant. While it might be helpful to normalize levels of immune system proteins before a transplant, it is not a requirement. It’s not yet clear what role these levels play in the risk of recurrence.
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