Ameeta Parekh|Elisa J. Gordon|Amit X. Garg|Amy D. Waterman|Sanjay Kulkarni|Chirag R. Parikh
Living kidney donor informed consent practices vary between US and non-US centers
Yale University|Albany Medical Center Hospital|Washington University in St. Louis|Yale University|Yale University
living kidney donation rates increasing united states internationally major consensus statements care living kidney donors recommend communicating potential health psychosocial risks donors evaluated degree international variation process informed consent potential donors evaluationtransplant professionals attending 2006 world transplant congress responded survey assessing process informed consent evaluation communication living donor risk usbased respondents compared nonus respondentsthere 221 respondents 177 transplant centers 40 countries 48 us respondents across us nonus transplant centers potential donors likely receive written material living donor risk mail prior evaluation receive risk information person evaluation psychosocial evaluation usually lasted longer 30 min sign official donation consent form presented surgeon nephrologist although 75 respondents stated donors received information medical risks hypertension chronic kidney disease potential need dialysis less consistency regarding whether respondents conveyed increased risk medical complications donors additionally financial psychosocial costs associated living donor inconsistently communicated donors informed consent process compared nonus respondents us respondents likely use written material visual aids convey risks donors mandatory psychosocial evaluations provide access donor support groups us transplant centers also likely discuss possibility donors needing dialysis transplant remaining kidney fails future possible travel expenses loss work income due donation recovery conversely us respondents less likely offer longterm followup utilize nephrologists obtain written donor consent donationas dependence living organ donation increases best practices informed consent donor evaluation uniform risk conveyance need established may accomplished using model informed consent template ensure informed consent donors consistently obtained