Living Donation Facts

Organs

Living donor transplants are a viable alternative for patients in need of new organs. Many different types of organs can be supplied by living donors, including:

• kidney
  This is the most frequent type of living organ donation. All living kidney donors will experience a decrease in their kidney function, which varies depending on the donor’s age and medical history.
• liver
  Individuals can donate a segment of the liver, which has the ability to regenerate and regain full function.
• lung
  Although lung lobes do not regenerate, individuals can donate a lobe of one lung.
• intestine
  Although very rare, it is possible to donate a portion of your intestine.
• pancreas
  Individuals can also donate a portion of the pancreas.
• heart
  A domino transplant makes some heart-lung recipients living heart donors. When a patient receives a heart-lung "bloc" from a deceased donor, his or her healthy heart may be given to an individual waiting for a heart transplant. Extremely rare, this procedure is used when physicians determine that the deceased donor lungs will function best if they are used in conjunction with the deceased donor heart.

Reference and Publication Information

The United Network for Organ Sharing is committed to providing accurate and reliable information for transplant patients. To learn more about our content authorship and review process, please read about our Editorial Board.

The content on this page was originally created on February 25, 2005 by the United Network for Organ Sharing and last modified on April 7, 2009.

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