ABSTRACT
As discussed elsewhere in this volume, one of the most important problems in solid organ transplantation is the growing waiting list of potential recipients, along with the resulting increase in waiting time for those candidates actively placed on the list. This increased waiting time has important consequences: in the USA, about 7% of candidates die annually while waiting for a kidney,1 and transplant outcome is adversely affected by long waits.2
One way to address the waiting list problem is to increase the number of living donor transplants. Three recent novel attempts to do so – paired exchanges, use of ABO-incompatible donors, and use of positive crossmatch donors – have been discussed in other chapters. At the University of Minnesota, we have taken a different approach by developing a programme that enables anyone, even altruistically motivated persons without an identified recipient, to become potential donors.
