Experiences of Kidney Donation in Living Kidney Donors

Abstract

In Japan, the donation of kidney for transplantation from the living donor occupies about 80% of kidney transplant. However the experiences of living kidney donors are little understood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to illuminate the experiences of living kidney donors. Subjects were 15 donor-patients who were discharged from hospital shortly after donating their kidney using laparoscopy at university hospital in Tokyo.
A new core category was discovered using the grounded theory approach. It was the confirmation that one was irreplaceable as a donor, which deeply influenced their life even after the donation. When recipients were healthy, they regarded organ transplantation as a somewhat unrealistic issue. However, through sharing knowledge of the recipients' renal failure, obtaining medical information on renal transplantation, and hearing the recommendations of physicians, the issue became the donors own. The donors looked within themselves, tried to understand the situation that they were in and gave thought to other choices. Finally they underwent the operation in confirmation of the fact that each was irreplaceable as a donor, though they also experienced anxiety, fear, doubt, and other conflicts. Their minds certainly wavered, though the degree varied.
The donors also experienced 3 changes immediately following the donation:They felt that they had played the role of a family member to the recipients as well as donor-patients;they experienced a new understanding of the recipient;and they discovered a new understanding of kidney donation through observing the recipient's recovery process. Thus, the donors defined the meaning of the fact that they were irreplaceable as a donor even after the donation.
The findings demonstrated that kidney donation could be an experience to re-create a new realization of donor's self-concept.