Is There a Living Kidney Donor Waiting List for Kidney Patients?
If you are in need of a kidney transplant, you may be wondering how to get a transplant from a living donor. Most kidney patients know about the national waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor, but they may wonder whether there is a waiting list for a living donor kidney transplant. The short answer is: no, there is no centralized waiting list for living donor transplants. Here’s how the living donor transplant process works for kidney patients.
The Deceased Donor Waitlist
If you have been diagnosed with kidney failure and deemed eligible for a kidney transplant, your transplant center will add your name to the national deceased donor waitlist, which is administered by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), until a suitable match becomes available.
Most transplants use organs from deceased donors. For example, in 2023, there were 21,042 transplants using kidneys from deceased donors and just 6,290 transplants using kidneys from living donors. However, the wait time for a kidney from a deceased donor can be very long, with many patients waiting years for a match.
It is important to note that kidney patients must be on the OPTN deceased donor list to receive a transplant from a living kidney donor. In other words, if you want a kidney transplant using a kidney from a living donor, you must first be listed on the deceased donor waiting list even if you would prefer to receive a living donor kidney.
Deceased Donor Kidneys vs Living Donor Kidneys
When you need a kidney transplant, receiving an organ from a living donor is a better option. Living donor kidneys tend to last longer, sometimes two to three times as long, and are rejected less frequently than deceased donor kidneys.
Living donor kidney transplant recipients also typically have better transplant outcomes and lower mortality rates than deceased donor kidney transplant recipients.
In addition, kidney patients with a living donor can receive a transplant much faster, typically waiting months rather than years. Learn more about living donor kidneys vs deceased donor kidneys.
How to Get a Living Kidney Donor Transplant
If you want a transplant with an organ from a living donor, there is no central list to which you can add your name. Instead, it is up to you to find a living donor. The best way to do this is to find someone willing to donate either directly to you or on your behalf, then join a registry to manage the process and find you the best possible match.
The biggest living donor registry in the United States is the National Kidney Registry (NKR). If you are in need of a transplant, you can register with the NKR as a patient seeking a transplant. You can register if you have someone willing to donate for you or even if you don’t. You can also register with the NKR if you are already working with a non-NKR center but want to switch to an NKR center.