Six Weeks Before Surgery
If you’re a smoker, you’ll be asked to stop smoking from six weeks until you have fully recovered from surgery. While under general anesthesia, you'll be intubated and connected to a respirator, which is taxing on the lungs. Additionally, your coughing reflexes will be strongly subdued, so there's an increased chance of fluid accumulation and subsequent infection. Smoking exacerbates these risks, so it is very important that you follow the no-smoking rule.
If you drink alcohol, even in moderation, you’ll be instructed to abstain until you receive clearance by the donation team after recovery. Any other medications or non-prescription drugs you may be taking will need to be approved by the clinic, so we urge you to be transparent with the nurse coordinator. This is to improve the quality of the organ you’ll be donating, and also to reduce the likelihood of complications during surgery.
One Week Before Surgery
You’ll meet with the nurse coordinator, the surgeon and anesthesiologist, who will review the donor surgery with you. After you’re well-informed of the process, you’ll be asked to sign two consent forms, one for surgery, and one for anesthesia.
Our team will require you to visit the lab one last time to have blood drawn. This is done as a precautionary measure to ensure you haven't acquired any infections since the donor evaluation period, and that your tissue type is still a good match for the recipient.
Aspirin and blood-thinners (Motrin, and Ibuprofen) reduce your blood-clotting ability. If you take these medications, you'll be instructed to discontinue their use. If you’re taking birth control pills, or any type of hormone therapy, you’ll be instructed to discontinue their use as well, as they may affect your body’s expected behavior during surgery.
24 Hours Before Surgery
You should pack a bag with loose and comfortable clothes for your 2 to 3-day hospital stay. We also recommend you bring personal items (toothbrush, shampoo, reading glasses, etc.) and entertainment items for your recovery time (such as books, cell phone, MP3 player, etc.). We have Wi-Fi, and an entertainment center at Lahey which you may use during your recovery. We advise against bringing non-essential items, such as jewelry.
You’ll be required to stop eating the midnight before the surgery to avoid bowel movements. You may still drink liquids such as water, juice, broth, or Jell-O.
Your hospital stay will last from 2 to 3 days, and you won't be allowed to drive yourself home once released. With this in mind, we recommend you ask a friend or family member to drive you to and from the hospital.
The Day of Surgery
Our operating and waiting area can be found on Lahey’s second floor.
Living donor surgeries are typically scheduled in the morning. You and the person you're donating to will be admitted into the hospital’s pre-op area two hours before surgery, where your family may accompany you. You will change into a gown, and an IV will be placed for hydration, delivery of medications, and anesthetics. The nursing team may need to shave your abdominal area if deemed necessary by the surgical team. You’ll also have electrodes attached to your chest to measure your heart’s electrical output.
You will be taken into the operating room, and your family will be asked to wait for you in the surgical waiting area. The donor coordinator will keep your family updated on the progress of your surgery.
Our anesthesiologists will administer sedation through the IV to put you to sleep. The team will then connect you to a breathing machine, place a Foley catheter, and the surgeons will begin the operation.
