Living Donor Evaluation at Toronto General Hospital

Living Donor Evaluation is a comprehensive medical, surgical and psychosocial assessment performed to determine whether an individual can safely donate an organ to a suitable recipient. The evaluation is designed to protect the donor's health and well-being while assessing medical suitability and compatibility for living donation.

Price

Price on Request

Why Price on Request?

The cost of living donor evaluation varies depending on the organ being considered for donation, laboratory testing, imaging, specialist consultations, compatibility testing and other medical assessments required. A personalized cost estimate is provided after the initial assessment.

Complete Description

What Is Living Donor Evaluation?

Living Donor Evaluation is a detailed assessment of a potential living organ donor before donation.

The process determines:

• Whether the donor is medically suitable

• Whether donation can be performed safely

• Whether the donor understands the risks

• Whether the donor is psychologically prepared

• Whether the donor and recipient are medically compatible

The donor's safety is a primary consideration throughout the evaluation.

Who Can Be a Living Donor?

Potential living donors may be considered for selected transplant procedures involving organs or portions of organs such as:

• Kidney

• Liver

• Other organs or organ segments where living donation is medically appropriate

Eligibility depends on the type of donation, donor health and applicable transplant policies.

Initial Donor Assessment

The evaluation generally begins with a detailed review of:

• Medical history

• Surgical history

• Current medications

• Previous illnesses

• Family medical history

• Lifestyle factors

• Previous hospitalizations

• Allergies

• General health

This helps the transplant team determine whether further assessment is appropriate.

Physical Examination

A physical examination may assess:

• General health

• Blood pressure

• Weight

• Cardiovascular health

• Respiratory health

• Abdominal health

• Other relevant physical findings

The examination is tailored to the organ being considered for donation.

Blood Testing

Potential donors may undergo extensive laboratory testing.

Testing may include:

• Complete blood count

• Blood chemistry

• Kidney-function testing

• Liver-function testing

• Blood type

• Infection screening

• Metabolic testing

• Other transplant-specific laboratory tests

Compatibility Testing

Compatibility assessment may be performed between donor and recipient.

Depending on the transplant type, testing may include:

• Blood-group compatibility

• Tissue typing

• Antibody testing

• Crossmatching

• Other immunological assessments

These tests help determine whether donation is medically appropriate.

Kidney Donor Evaluation

For potential kidney donors, assessment may include detailed evaluation of:

• Kidney function

• Urine testing

• Blood pressure

• Kidney anatomy

• Cardiovascular health

• Overall medical condition

Imaging may be used to assess kidney structure and blood vessels.

Liver Donor Evaluation

For potential living liver donors, evaluation may include:

• Liver function

• Liver anatomy

• Liver volume

• Blood tests

• Imaging

• Cardiovascular assessment

• General health evaluation

The transplant team determines whether the donor can safely undergo partial liver donation.

Diagnostic Imaging

Imaging may be required to evaluate the donor's anatomy and suitability.

Depending on the organ, investigations may include:

• Ultrasound

• CT scan

• MRI

• Other specialized imaging

Imaging helps transplant specialists understand organ structure and blood-vessel anatomy.

Cardiovascular Evaluation

Potential donors may undergo cardiovascular assessment to determine whether they can safely undergo major surgery.

Evaluation may include:

• Medical history

• Physical examination

• Electrocardiogram

• Other cardiac investigations when clinically appropriate

Additional testing depends on age, medical history and individual risk factors.

Infection Screening

Potential donors may be tested for relevant infections before donation.

Screening may include tests for:

• Viral infections

• Bacterial infections

• Other transplant-relevant infections

The exact testing depends on the transplant program and donor circumstances.

Cancer Screening

Appropriate cancer screening may be performed as part of the donor assessment.

Screening depends on:

• Age

• Sex

• Medical history

• Family history

• Applicable clinical guidelines

The goal is to identify conditions that could affect donor safety.

Psychological Assessment

Living donation is a major personal and medical decision.

A psychosocial assessment may evaluate:

• Understanding of the donation process

• Expectations

• Emotional readiness

• Support system

• Ability to cope with recovery

• Potential psychological concerns

Voluntary Donation

Living donation should be voluntary and free from coercion or inappropriate pressure.

Potential donors should have an opportunity to understand the procedure, risks and alternatives before making a decision.

Independent Donor Advocacy

Living donor programs may include processes designed to ensure that the donor's interests are independently considered.

The donor should have access to information about:

• Potential risks

• Benefits

• Alternatives

• Recovery

• Long-term considerations

• The right to withdraw from the process

Surgical Risk Assessment

Before approval for donation, specialists evaluate potential surgical risks.

Assessment may consider:

• General health

• Cardiovascular status

• Organ function

• Previous surgeries

• Body weight

• Medical conditions

• Anesthesia risk

Nutritional Assessment

Nutrition may be evaluated before donation.

The team may review:

• Weight

• Diet

• Nutritional status

• Metabolic health

• Lifestyle factors

Appropriate nutritional guidance may be provided when necessary.

Final Donor Suitability Assessment

After completing the required investigations, the transplant team reviews the results.

The decision may consider:

• Medical suitability

• Surgical risk

• Organ suitability

• Compatibility

• Psychological readiness

• Long-term donor health

Donation proceeds only when the appropriate transplant team determines that it is medically and ethically appropriate.

Donor Preparation Before Surgery

If approved for donation, the donor receives information about:

• Surgical preparation

• Hospital admission

• Anesthesia

• Expected recovery

• Medication management

• Activity restrictions

• Follow-up requirements

Post-Donation Follow-Up

Living donors require medical follow-up after donation.

Follow-up may include:

• Physical assessment

• Blood tests

• Organ-function monitoring

• Blood-pressure monitoring

• Recovery assessment

• Long-term health monitoring

The exact schedule depends on the type of donation and transplant program.

Potential Risks of Living Donation

Living organ donation involves major medical and surgical considerations.

Potential risks may include:

• Bleeding

• Infection

• Blood clots

• Anesthesia-related complications

• Surgical complications

• Pain

• Temporary changes in organ function

• Other organ-specific complications

Individual risks vary according to the type of donation and donor health.

Living Donor Second Opinion

Potential donors may seek a specialist second opinion if they have concerns about their suitability for donation.

Relevant medical records may include:

• Laboratory results

• Imaging

• Medical history

• Specialist reports

• Previous surgical records

• Current medication list

International Living Donors

International patients considering living donation should understand that living organ donation is subject to strict medical, ethical and legal requirements.

Requirements may include documentation regarding:

• Medical history

• Identity

• Relationship to recipient where applicable

• Compatibility

• Psychological suitability

• Informed consent

• Other regulatory requirements

Eligibility depends on applicable Canadian policies and transplant regulations.

Benefits of Specialized Living Donor Evaluation

A comprehensive donor evaluation may help:

• Assess donor health

• Identify potential medical risks

• Evaluate organ suitability

• Assess donor-recipient compatibility

• Evaluate surgical risks

• Assess psychological readiness

• Protect donor safety

• Prepare donors for surgery and recovery

• Establish appropriate follow-up

Why Choose Toronto General Hospital for Living Donor Evaluation?

Toronto General Hospital, part of University Health Network (UHN), provides advanced transplant and multidisciplinary medical care.

Depending on the type of donation, evaluation may involve transplant surgeons, physicians, nurses, radiologists, laboratory specialists, pharmacists, social workers and other healthcare professionals.

Cost & Price on Request

Price: Price on Request

The cost of living donor evaluation depends on the type of donation and investigations required.

Potential costs may include:

• Donor consultation

• Blood testing

• Compatibility testing

• Imaging

• Cardiac evaluation

• Specialist consultations

• Psychological assessment

• Additional diagnostic testing

• Preoperative assessment

• Follow-up care

A personalized cost estimate should be requested after evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a living donor evaluation?

It is a comprehensive assessment used to determine whether a person can safely donate an organ while protecting the donor's short- and long-term health.

2. What organs can be donated by a living donor?

Depending on medical circumstances and transplant programs, living donation may involve organs such as a kidney or a portion of the liver.

3. Is living donation voluntary?

Yes. Living donation should be voluntary and based on informed consent, without inappropriate pressure or coercion.

4. What tests are performed during donor evaluation?

Testing may include blood tests, compatibility testing, imaging, organ-function assessment, cardiovascular evaluation and psychosocial assessment, depending on the type of donation.

5. How much does living donor evaluation cost?

Price is available on request. The cost depends on the organ being considered and the medical, imaging, laboratory and specialist assessments required.

Product Details

Product Name: Living Donor Evaluation

Hospital: Toronto General Hospital

Brand: Toronto General Hospital

Country: Canada

Specialty: Organ Transplantation

Service Type: Living Donor Evaluation

Customer-Facing Price: Price on Request

International Patients: Subject to applicable eligibility and transplant regulations

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada