Innovations in kidney paired donation transplantation

Abstract

Purpose of review: To analyze the innovations that have increased the reliability, convenience, and outcomes of kidney paired donation (KPD) that has led to thousands of living donor kidney transplants across the United States.

Recent findings: Over the past 10 years, KPD has grown over 200% on an annual basis. Though concerns had existed over cold ischemia time, research has shown that there is no correlation between travel time of a shipped kidney and the transplant outcome. The voucher program has started to continue to expand how to overcome obstacles to donation by solving the issue of a pair chronological incompatibility.

Summary: KPD is a relatively new field and the innovations it has spawned should continue to improve availability of high-quality living donor organs. The introduction of the family voucher should continue this trend.