MTG KIDNEY TRANSPLANT EVALUATION

Kidney Transplant Evaluation Process 
Pre-Surgical Protocol


Transplant recipients and donors must complete the pre-surgical transplant protocol and cross match test prior to admission to the hospital to confirm that the recipient and donor are compatible.

In some cases it is possible for both donor and recipient to have these tests at the Hospital during a site visit.

 
Step 1 Medical Profile, Blood Testing

Medical Profile

The kidney donor needs to complete the Personal Medical Profile which contains a series of questions regarding overall health status. Contraindications for becoming a kidney donor can include high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease.

This donor’s Medical Profile is reviewed by the transplant coordinator,  if approved for the next phase (blood testing and tissue matching) the donor will be contacted by a member of the kidney transplant medical team.

Blood Testing

The transplant coordinator will assist the donor in having the blood testing step completed locally.

The purpose of the crossmatch test is to identify whether the recipients immune system will reject the donor's kidney. The blood will be tested for blood type and antigen match, as well as crossmatched with the recipients blood. It can take up to two weeks before the totality of these test results is received, thought expediting is always prioritized if feasible or advisable.

Receiving Matching News: A member of the MedToGo transplant team will contact the donor with the results and any further testing requirements or recommendations needed before moving to step two of the process.

Step 2 Further Testing & Education
Tests and Assessments

The donor will complete an EKG, chest x-ray, bloodwork, and urine tests. Blood tests include (but are not necessarily limited to) HIV, Hepatitis B & C, kidney function, liver function, possible virus exposures, and test for anemia.

A blood pressure check, medical history & physical examination will be conducted by a nephrologist or nephrology nurse practitioner. A psychosocial assessment will also be performed.

Education Session

The protocol takes approximately seven days (a day-by-day breakdown of testing activities can be found on this website). On the day specified for evaluation, the donor will attend an education session, facilitated by a nurse coordinator, for the purpose of learning more about the specific aspects of the nephrectomy surgery, including Q&A with the medical team as needed.

CT Scan and Surgeon Visit:

The donor will meet with a member of the donor surgical team, as well as complete a CT scan to determine the specific anatomy of the kidneys and urinary tract.

Additional tests - pap smear, mammogram, PSA, exercise stress test, 2 hour glucose tolerance test, and pulmonary function - may be required depending on the gender, age, and genetic make-up of the donor .

Multidisciplinary Consultation

Upon completion of the testing, the donor will meet to discuss results with the multidisciplinary transplant committee which reviews for approval.

The Transplant Coordinator will coordinate the dates for the week-long pre-admissions testing ,and surgery, as well as liaise with the Hospitals Patient Travel Services to create a detailed travel itinerary for the protocol and procedure medical travel trip(s).

Step 3 Pre-Surgical Testing (usually within one week of the surgery)

Anesthesiologist

The donor will meet with an anesthesiologist to discuss the anesthesia process and answer any questions.

Recipient Surgeon & Nurse Coordinator

The donor and recipient will meet the recipient's surgeon and a nurse coordinator to discuss the surgery and will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Financial Coordinator

The donor will meet with a financial coordinator to review procedures for billing to avoid cost to the donor.

Blood Test

The donor will have blood drawn for a final cross match as well as a final urine sample taken.

Instructions

The donor will be instructed to stop aspirin and blood thinner intake three days prior to surgery.

The donor will also be given a folder containing information on the hospital and the procedure including a full itinerary schedule of all testing, all medical team contact numbers, and other important information, such as what do to prepare for surgery the night before and where to report for the day of the procedure.

Patients working with MedToGo's Transplant Program will find themselves at the center of a deeply experienced, expert and caring multidisciplinary medical team ready to assist the donor and the recipient through every step of the matching, pre-transplant protocol, surgery and post-procedure follow-up process.