For those offering the gift of life...

Dr Vishwanath S suggests some lifestyle changes for organ donors to consider after donation.

Kidney donation is considered relatively safe. Particularly in modern times with advanced medical facilities, it has become a routine procedure that ensures the safety of the donor. In fact, any potential donor undergoing the donation procedure undergoes an extensive evaluation before being considered eligible for donation. Only after ensuring the donor’s safety will one kidney be removed. The majority of donors undergo laparoscopic surgery.

They are typically discharged after the fifth day of the surgery and are advised to rest for two weeks. After this two-week period, they can safely return to work while following a few lifestyle modifications.

What are the lifestyle changes post-organ donation for donors?

After organ donation, it is important to take it easy for a few weeks and avoid strenuous activity. This means avoiding activities that could put a strain on your remaining kidney, such as lifting heavy objects, playing contact sports, or strenuous exercise.

Diet remains another factor that promotes faster recovery to normal life. Eat a healthy diet, avoid smoking, avoid junk food, and maintain a healthy weight. These suggestions are similar to those applicable to the general population. Adequate water intake also remains important for overall health, as it does for anyone else. Regular checkups with your doctor are also important to monitor your health post-donation and make sure that your remaining kidney is healthy.

Donors should also be careful with the medications they take, being mindful to avoid unnecessary painkillers that could potentially harm the remaining kidney. This is also relevant for elderly individuals and those with diabetes, as prolonged use of these painkillers can result in permanent kidney damage.

What does the donor evaluation look like?

The donor evaluation involves compatibility testing with two important prerequisites — blood group matching, which is the primary consideration, and crossmatch testing. This standard crossmatch testing is also known as lymphocytic crossmatch testing. In cases where there is a high-risk transplant scenario, such as a recipient undergoing a second transplant, someone who has received numerous blood transfusions before the transplant, or experienced multiple pregnancies, they are tested separately to detect antibodies present in their body. Essentially, compatibility testing entails examining the recipient’s antibodies in relation to the donor’s organ.

This process is crucial in assessing the potential risks associated with the transplant, mainly focusing on the recipient’s well-being. In instances where the recipient’s risk is higher, a more extensive testing approach known as single antigen bead flow cross-match is conducted.

What are the major misconceptions and facts surrounding organ donation?

Most individuals have certain misconceptions regarding organ donation, which is a major reason why not many come forward to donate. One such common misconception is that after donation, they might not be able to resume what they were doing before donation, mainly if they are involved in physically demanding tasks such as farming, carpentry, or manual labour. This is entirely a false notion. In reality, donors can continue doing the same work they were doing before, whether it involves hard labour, driving, or agricultural activities. Their ability to carry out their previous jobs remains unaffected without opting for a job change, both in India and abroad. Another misconception pertaining to the impact of donation is one’s ability to become a parent. Pregnancy remains safe after organ donation.

It is worth mentioning that many people are born with only one kidney, without being aware of it, but they lead a normal, healthy life.

(The author is HOD & Consultant - Nephrology, Transplant Physician.)