What are the Chances of Finding a Kidney Match?

When you need a kidney transplant, finding the best-matching living donor kidney can mean a more successful transplant. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about your chances for finding a matching kidney from a living kidney donor.

How do you find a kidney donor match?

You don’t need to worry about finding a match—all you need to focus on is finding a donor. Once you find a qualified donor, the National Kidney Registry will find the best match for you. It may be your intended donor or it may be someone else in our donor pool, but we will ensure you get the best match possible.

What are the odds of being a kidney match?

The NKR has the largest pool of living donors across 100 transplant centers in the United States, so we have an excellent chance of finding the best match for you.

How long will it take me to find a matching living kidney donor?

The time it takes to find a living kidney donor can vary based on a number of factors. Once you have a donor, more than 90% of donor-recipient pairs who go through the National Kidney Registry are matched within four months or less.

How does the NKR find the best kidney match?

The National Kidney Registry uses the latest DNA technology to find the best match for each living kidney donor and recipient. For more on the science behind our matching process, visit the Kidney for Life website.

What is the benefit of having a better kidney match?

The better the match between the donor and transplant recipient, the longer the kidney is likely to last and the lower the risk of complications or transplant failure. In addition, if you have a very closely matched kidney, you may be able to lower the dose of immunosuppression medication you take after the transplant to prevent your body from rejecting the kidney, which could reduce the amount of side effects you experience.