Follow-up of kidney donors at a single center in South Africa

S Naicker; M Azor; A Sukool; I Holmes; A Muranda; AA Haffejee

doi:10.21804/2-1-856

S Naicker Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban
M Azor Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban
A Sukool Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban
I Holmes Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban
A Muranda Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban
AA Haffejee Renal Unit, Addington Hospital and Departments of Medicine and Surgery, University of Natal Medical School, Durban

Abstract

Background:There is a worldwide shortage of organ donors. Inour province, KwaZulu / Natal, this problem is morepronounced as the rate of cadaveric donation is verylow. Thus both patients and nephrology staff areunder pressure to seek living donors.

Methods and results:We studied 135 living kidney donors in ten yearsperiod: 85 females and 50 males; 78 (57.8%) were ofIndian origin, 33 (24.4%) Black, 15 (11.1%) Whiteand 9 (6.7%) of mixed race groups. The majority ofdonors (57%) were siblings, while 14.8% wereparents, 6.7% children, 17.8% spouses and 3.7%were cousins. The mean age of donors was 34.2 years(range 21-56 years). Donors were hospitalised for amean peroid of 6.1 days (range 3-15). Post-operativecomplications were left lobe atelectasis and chestinfection in 11.1 %, other infections in 5.2%,pneumothorax in 2.2%, ileus in two cases, depressionin one and prolonged pain at the site of surgery in11.1%. Proteinuria was noted in three cases (0.26gm/d and 0.66 gm/d in two donors at 2 years and 0.27gm/d in the third case at 10 years).Blood pressure levels were virtually unchanged frompre-nephrectomy data.

Conclusion:This study confirms that unilateral nephrectomy innormal individuals is associated with few major adverse effects and living donors in renal transplantation is a viable option.

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