You can donate parts of up to five organs while you are alive, although most commonly it's a single organ or part of an organ.
Here's a breakdown of what living donation typically entails:
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Kidney: You can donate one of your kidneys. This is the most common type of living organ donation. Because people are born with two kidneys and can live healthily with only one, a living person can donate a kidney to someone in need.
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Liver: A portion of your liver can be donated. The liver has the remarkable ability to regenerate, so both the donor and recipient's livers will regrow after the surgery.
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Lung: A lobe of your lung can be donated. Similar to the liver, the remaining lung tissue in both the donor and recipient can function adequately.
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Pancreas: A portion of the pancreas can be donated, typically a segment of the tail of the pancreas.
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Intestine: Rarely, a portion of the small intestine can be donated.
Important Considerations:
- Living donation is a serious medical procedure with potential risks and benefits.
- Thorough medical and psychological evaluations are required to ensure the donor is a suitable candidate.
- Living donors should be fully informed about the risks, benefits, and long-term consequences of donation.
In summary, while you can technically donate parts of multiple organs, the most common and well-established living donation involves donating one kidney. Other living donations involve partial donations of the liver, lung, pancreas, or intestine.
