Living Donation Discussion and News > Living Donation Forum

Can I switch hospitals for the transplant?

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bkladane:
Thanks for your responses, everyone! It really helps. I am going to get in contact with someone at Presbyterian, it seems like the way to go is to definitely speak to another doctor(s).

I am not an altruistic donor--I am donating to my younger brother, who has FSGS and is currently on dialysis. I just wonder about how the switch for him will be, will he have to change his nephrologist, too? I guess these are questions I can bring up when I go for the second opinion.

Fr Pat:
     I'm not a medical professional, but from what I have read here and there I would also suggest that in discussing your surgery, wherever it takes place, you ask whether the open-cut method rather than the laporoscopic method might be safer for you? If there are special challenges in cutting-sealing-reconnecting blood vessels it would seem to me to be safer with the surgeons able to see and directly reach everything manually rather than doing it by remote instruments and a TV screen. Again, that is just my non-professional point of view.
   best wishes,
      Fr. Pat

tom carr:
Hello,

I donated (non-directed) last October 21st. The surgery was at NYU Medical Center. When they started my surgery they found that I had an unusually large number of veins. What should have been a 2-3 hr procedure took almost 6 hours by the time they tied off all of the veins. But, they did a good job...no complaints.
My surgeon was Dr. Fahmy....he was very good and I highly recommend him.

Best of luck.

Tom

sherri:
bkladane,

My brother was originally at Mt. Sinai and he decided to switch to Hopkins. I happen to live in Baltimore so it was easier for me. He had a connection with a financial donor to Hopkins and was able to get VIP treatment which was the impetus for the switch. Hopkins recommended a nephrologist at Columbia, who he likes very much. They share information. My brother comes to Hopkins once a year to see his nephrologist here because he really does like him and values his input. Insurance wise this was not an issue and this was out of state. So to switch hospitals for your brother in the same city will most likely not be an issue. He can certainly go back to his nephrologist at Downstate or anywhere else. records can be shared easily. Recipients, as the "sick" patient will always be able to find a physician to take over their care. Donors have a little more difficulty as they are not the "sick" patient. S8ince your surgry sounds like it will need more experienced surgeons go where you are comfortable and will get the care you need.

Best of luck,

Sherri

lawphi:
We switched to JH when our regional center didn't offer plasmapheresis. We were able to send in our old ct scans, x-rays and medical records. It took two weeks for new lab work and a few weeks for our appointment to be cleared.

You will need to be proactive in requesting the records. Your brother can keep the same nephrologist for his dialysis and post transplant care once he is released.

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