What is a kidney transplant?
A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that places a healthy kidney from a donor into the body of a person in need, providing someone with kidney disease the opportunity to live a longer, healthier life without dialysis.
The provincial waiting list is managed by the Trillium Gift of Life Network.
Types of Kidney Transplants
Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant
A ‘deceased’ kidney donor is a deceased person donates their kidneys after they have died.
The donor or their family must provide consent before the kidney is removed from the body.
Patients must be approved for the transplant waiting list before they can receive a deceased donor kidney transplant.
Living Donor Kidney Transplant
Living kidney donation involves a healthy adult donating one of their kidneys to a person with end-stage kidney disease.
There are two types of living kidney donations: directed donation, where the donor knows the recipient, and non-directed anonymous donation, where the donor does not know the recipient.
Living donors are usually directed, where a family member or close friend decides to donate one of their kidneys to a loved one in need.
Kidneys from living donors are usually healthier and last longer compared to a deceased donor kidney and donors usually recover quickly after surgery and continue to lead full and healthy lives.
Recipients of a living donor kidney can usually be transplanted within one year of finding a living donor, compared to 3-6 years for a deceased donor transplant.
