Relaxed donor criteria expand opportunities for living donor kidney transplant

Baylor Scott & White Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute recently changed their screening criteria for potential donors for living donor kidney transplant. Now, prospective donors with hypertension, higher BMIs and a diagnosis of diabetes not on insulin can begin the donor evaluation process. As a result of this change, the program is currently on pace to do 120 living donor kidney transplants in 2025, a 100 percent increase from prior years.

“Studies have shown that the long-term risk for patients with these conditions is not significantly higher than patients without them. says Bernard Fischbach, MD, CCRP, medical director of kidney/pancreas transplantation at Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health. “The changes in criteria have allowed us to consider more people for living donation while keeping donors safe and healthy.”

Each potential donor is evaluated by a team of transplant experts, including a transplant surgeon. Depending on the findings, potential donors may be referred for weight loss or diabetes management, allowing them to move forward in the evaluation process.

The BSW transplant team is also increasing access to living donor kidney transplants through ABO incompatible transplants and treating recipients with high antibody levels. The overall goal of the new approach is to determine how to facilitate a transplant if a patient has a willing potential donor rather than automatically ruling out the donor.

The BSW Simmons Transplant Institute team encourages patients with advanced chronic kidney disease to be proactive about finding a donor. Patients are encouraged to find someone to be their donor champion and to use social media and other communication avenues to let others know about their need and the opportunity for potential donation.

“We are gratified to see the positive impact these criteria changes have had on getting our patients transplanted more quickly,” Dr. Fischbach says. “We encourage our referring physicians to reach out to us with any questions or concerns about living kidney donation.”