Kidney Transplant Program

Preparing for Your Transplant

You will have more time to prepare for the transplant if you receive a kidney from a live donor than a deceased donor.

The transplant surgery is scheduled in advance. Before this time, our team will perform all of the testing necessary to verify that you are a match to receive the donor kidney. If you receive a kidney from a deceased donor, however, you must be ready to go to the hospital as soon as you receive a call about an available organ.

Still, the preparations required are largely the same for both types of recipients. You will need:

An overnight bag with a change of clothes and any medications and medical equipment needed for a hospital stay of up to one week.
Transportation to the hospital.
An individual to care for children and pets.
A plan to deal with any issues that arise during the seven to 10 days you are in the hospital and recovering from surgery.

If you are on the list to receive a kidney from a deceased donor, your transplant coordinator will call you if an organ becomes available. During this call, the coordinator will verify that you are healthy enough for the transplant and logistically prepared to come to the hospital in time to receive the organ.

When you arrive at the hospital, you will undergo blood testing to confirm that you are a match to receive the donated kidney. If you are, you will be admitted to the hospital. The transplant team will then screen you to confirm that you are in suitable condition for the transplant.