The kidney donor's notebook that "I am regretful but admired that it is brave and altruistic"

ByJeffrey james pacres

Human kidney can be maintained in normal state even on one side, so it is done as a treatment method to replace hemodialysis / peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal failureKidney transplantIt is said that the risk of kidney donor's subsequent risk is low. From the doctor Michael Poulson who provided the kidney at the age of 18 was given the explanation that "the risk that the person who provided the kidney becomes renal failure is the same as the risk that ordinary people become kidney failure" A few years later, I will regret having become a donor.

At 18 years old, he donated a kidney. Now, he regrets it. - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/at-18-years-old-he-donated-a-kidney-now-he-regrets-it/2016/09/30/cc9407d8-5ff9-11e6-8e45-477372e89d78_story.html

Mr. Poulson provided the kidney at the age of 18 and was just when he decided to go on to university. Poulson who saw the stepfather's brother suffering from dialysis for more than a year examined the suitability as a donor for kidney transplantation, but it was confirmed that it was tissue-compatible despite the fact that blood was not connected Turn out. Poulson says to transplant the kidney because it is said that the probability that a person who became a donor of kidney transplantation becomes renal failure is the same as the probability that a general person becomes renal failure I decided. Male in the photo is Mr. Poulson as of 2016.


Mr. Poulson who was anesthetized in the operating room heading to a San Francisco hospital where surgery is done with her mother immediately loses consciousness and the surgery was over when he woke up next. Mr. Poulson talks about the time that anxiety about surgery that had been before the operation had disappeared with one of the kidneys he had.

ByPresidencia de la República Mexicana

After that, Mr. Poulson who recovered his physical strength went to college and will have a peaceful everyday life. In addition, men who were provided with kidneys also returned to a healthy body and were able to enjoy life.

But five years after surgery, Mr. Poulson who had entered the medical school before going to school will have great unease when looking at the donor provided by the kidney at a research facility. More than 100 people who Poulson conversed at the laboratory, donors who once provided the kidneys to someone suffer from renal failure, some of them have cancer onset. The more I learned about the donor who provided the kidneys, the more uneasy became bigger among Poulson.

In addition, as in Poulson's surgery, in 2014, the research results that "donors who provided kidney are at high risk of end-stage renal failure" and "the risk of death from causes such as cardiovascular disease is high" The results of the study have been announced.

Of course, there are many opinions that these research results are still being debated, even if there are risks, they are small things. This is because it is very difficult to observe whether complications such as chronic kidney disease can occur from a long-term perspective, because an American hospital tracks donor patients and takes data only for 2 years after surgery. Since the total number of kidney transplants conducted in the past decades and the number of donor patients who have rendered renal failure after kidney transplantation are also currently unknown, from the results of research published at the present time, "unbelievable fact I can not draw out.

Nevertheless, in recent years kidney transplantation has been explained as "operation with little risk, no harm even in the long run", donor is admired as "altruistic and brave person", and data is lacking It does not mention what you are doing and the possible post-transplant risks in reality.

ByScribble taylor

Poulson, who understood the importance of informed consent as a medical student who aims to become a physician, said that "data the doctor has is not necessarily transmitted to the patient", and at the age of 18, He was angry at not being told that "research is inadequate and long-term effects on health are unknown."

Poulson says it will become uneasy from time to time although it has come along with the fact that the physical risk increased by kidney transplantation. The fact that it is a kidney donor is part of Poulson's identity, and some people who have learned that "Mr. Poulson did" transplant kidney "seem to admire courage and altruism However, on the other hand, Mr. Poulson noticed himself trying to conceal the fact that he did "transplant kidney". Poulson says, although actually trying to imagine yourself as "humble," you actually regret "kidney transplantation".