So I just heard from my doctor and she said that my left kidney is smaller than my right kidney. They are going to have me do a nuclear dye test to see if both kidneys function the same way. The reason they want to take my left is so they don't do surgery near my liver. Did anyone have their right kidney removed? I am worried and don't want to be left with the smaller of the 2 kidneys.
Let me know,
Thanks,
Lisa

lisamgoldberg,

My surgeon told me I had a minor, theoretical, problem with my left kidney.  I asked, "So, you will take my right kidney, correct?"  "No," he said, "we always leave the donor with the better kidney."  The reason is that they want to minimize potential harm to the donor.

BTW, usually a person's smaller kidney has a lower level kidney function than the person's larger kidney.  But not always.  The nuclear dye test will determine which kidney has a higher level of function.

I believe that most -- if not all -- programs take the kidney that is less good, and leave the better kidney in the donor.  In any case, you can refuse to have the surgery if the program wants to leave you with the less good kidney.  DO NOT HESITATE TO PERSIST IN ASKING QUESTIONS, & GETTING THEM ANSWERED TO YOUR SATISFACTION!  [I say that as a physician.  ;) ]   It is your life, after all!

Bill

My left kidney was slightly bigger than my right kidney, and my left kidney was cyst-free whereas my right kidney had two small cysts. The transplant team still decided to take my left kidney because the left kidney is much easier to remove from the donor, and the left kidney is easier to transplant into the recipient (it has a longer renal artery, I believe). 

So I had to go out on a limb somewhat and trust that this was the right thing to do and that my littler right kidney would do the job for me for the rest of my life.  So far, so good, and I know that I did the right thing for my cousin who is SO HAPPY with her new kidney.

I donated my right kidney to my husband 5 months ago with no complications at all.  I never asked why my right one was selected, but I was told it would be the easiest one to remove. 

Best wishes,
Angelica

Thanks everyone for your responses, I am will see what happens after the dye test.

Lisa