Health And Me Desk

Can You Live With One Kidney? And Other Organ Donation Questions People Are Too Afraid To Ask

Kidneys are two bean shaped structures, located on the back side of the abdomen, one each on right and left side. It filters blood by removing waste products via urine. Besides this it also functions as an endocrine organ, producing hormones like renin (for blood pressure control), erythropoietin (for hemoglobin production) and aids in active vitamin D formation (for bone health). 

Though human beings have two kidneys usually, there are situations where individuals can lead a healthy life on one kidney. This could be developmental anomaly (since birth). Congenital absence of one kidney is called renal agenesis, and these individuals lead a normal life with normal kidney function.

Sometimes, a single kidney is acquired due to removal of one kidney for donation. As in a healthy donor gives their kidney to someone in need, whose both kidneys have failed. This is indeed a noble gesture and one that does not come with any significant impact on the donor’s quality of life.

Can You Live With One Kidney After Donation?

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/when-a-fever-is-more-than-a-fever-recurrent-utis-in-children-can-put-kidneys-at-risk-article-156017739" data-type="tilCustomLink">When a Fever Is More Than a Fever: Recurrent UTIs in Children Can Put Kidneys at Risk</a>

The process of organ donation, where a healthy person’s healthy <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/what-happens-when-kidney-function-declines-understanding-the-stages-of-chronic-kidney-disease-article-155970689" data-type="tilCustomLink">kidney</a> is removed for the therapeutic purpose to benefit another individual suffering from kidney failure, is called donor nephrectomy. The first such surgery was done in the USA in the year 1954, with open surgery.

Now a days, most donor nephrectomies are done either with laparoscopy (key hole surgery) or robot assisted. Thus, a question that often arises in such times is, whether one can live with one kidney after kidney organ donation? To understand this, one should first understand that a donor undergoes a thorough rigorous fitness evaluation to determine if kidney donation is viable.

During this evaluation process, kidney function of both kidneys are evaluated. The kidney donor is deemed fit to donate the kidney only after it is ascertained that the donor has two healthy kidneys free from any disease, and the donor would be able to lead a normal life with one kidney. it is also ascertained that the other kidney transplanted in another is also having good <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/indias-organ-donation-system-is-growing-but-not-equally-article-155923678" data-type="tilCustomLink">kidney function</a> to survive in the recipient.

The Common Habits That Are Destroying Your Kidneys, Expert Reveals

What Happens To The Donor After Kidney Donation?

Another commonly asked question that doctors often get is, what happens to the kidney donor with one kidney after donation? Most kidney donors live long healthy life after <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/world-organ-donation-day-2026-too-old-or-too-sick-to-donate-organs-doctors-bust-key-myths-article-155604637" data-type="tilCustomLink">organ donation</a>. However, it should be appreciated that every individual is different, and age at the time of organ donation matters a lot. Risk is generally low, and they carry out their regular activities as before. Rarely the donor has a slight chance of developing high blood pressure or protein leak in the urine.

However, overall risk of significant kidney disease is &lt;1%, which is considered less than having the similar risk in general population. Though, there may be slightly higher chances of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy in a kidney donor. However, in majority of cases, Kidney donation is generally a safe procedure, and most donors continue to lead healthy, active lives with one kidney. With appropriate long-term follow-up and healthy lifestyle choices, donors can maintain excellent kidney health after donation.

By Dr. Hemant Mehta, Consultant Interventional Nephrologist, Lilavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai

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Kidneys are two bean shaped structures, located on the back side of the abdomen, one each on right and left side. It filters blood by removing waste products via urine. Besides this it also functions as an endocrine organ, producing hormones like renin (for blood pressure control), erythropoietin (for hemoglobin production) and aids in active vitamin D formation (for bone health). Though human beings have two kidneys usually, there are situations where individuals can lead a healthy life on one kidney. This could be developmental anomaly (since birth). Congenital absence of one kidney is called renal agenesis, and these individuals lead a normal life with normal kidney function. Sometimes, a single kidney is acquired due to removal of one kidney for donation. As in a healthy donor gives their kidney to someone in need, whose both kidneys have failed. This is indeed a noble gesture and one that does not come with any significant impact on the donor’s quality of life.Can You Live With One Kidney After Donation?Also read: When a Fever Is More Than a Fever: Recurrent UTIs in Children Can Put Kidneys at RiskThe process of organ donation, where a healthy person’s healthy kidney is removed for the therapeutic purpose to benefit another individual suffering from kidney failure, is called donor nephrectomy. The first such surgery was done in the USA in the year 1954, with open surgery. Now a days, most donor nephrectomies are done either with laparoscopy (key hole surgery) or robot assisted. Thus, a question that often arises in such times is, whether one can live with one kidney after kidney organ donation? To understand this, one should first understand that a donor undergoes a thorough rigorous fitness evaluation to determine if kidney donation is viable. During this evaluation process, kidney function of both kidneys are evaluated. The kidney donor is deemed fit to donate the kidney only after it is ascertained that the donor has two healthy kidneys free from any disease, and the donor would be able to lead a normal life with one kidney. it is also ascertained that the other kidney transplanted in another is also having good kidney function to survive in the recipient.         What Happens To The Donor After Kidney Donation?Another commonly asked question that doctors often get is, what happens to the kidney donor with one kidney after donation? Most kidney donors live long healthy life after organ donation. However, it should be appreciated that every individual is different, and age at the time of organ donation matters a lot. Risk is generally low, and they carry out their regular activities as before. Rarely the donor has a slight chance of developing high blood pressure or protein leak in the urine. However, overall risk of significant kidney disease is By Dr. Hemant Mehta, Consultant Interventional Nephrologist, Lilavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai

can you live with one kidney? and other organ donation questions people are too afraid to ask

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