Baby or Crackhead Kidneys

[kyshiag]

Today we were asked if we would consider kidneys from a baby or from someone who had lived a questionable life.  You can mark those as questions I never thought I'd be asked.

[jbeany]

Crackhead - I'd say no.  AIDS, HIV, and HEP tests aren't always accurate.  The risk of ending up with one more health problem on top of ESRD is pretty high.  Why risk it?

Baby -  I don't understand the question.  Normally they have to size match - too small of a kidney wouldn't work for an adult.  Sorry, I can't keep track of everyone's info, so if this is for a kid, that's a different story.  Still, if it's a size match, I don't understand why it would be a problem.  The fact that the donor passed away isn't pleasant to consider, regardless of the donor's age.  My kidney came from a teenage girl.  Do I find it depressing that I'm still chugging away into middle age when she wasn't old enough to drink yet?  Yes, of course.  But turning down her kidney because life is unfair wouldn't have made it anymore fair for her.   

[okarol]

I know two people who were given baby kidneys, they transplant both of them into adults.

[Whamo]

Baby kidneys sound perfect.  That comment about HEP tests was correct.  I know that from personal experience.

[kyshiag]

They said that adults would get two baby kidneys and the kidneys grow to full-size in about three months.

[jbeany]

Wow, that's fast!  Well, that's one thing they never told me about, but since I got an adult one, I suppose it didn't matter.  I was also getting a pancreas though - maybe mine had to be an adult donor to get a full sized pancreas.