What does the living-donor kidney transplant procedure involve?

The procedure consists of two coordinated surgeries. First, the healthy donor undergoes a laparoscopic nephrectomy, a minimally invasive technique to remove one kidney through small abdominal incisions, reducing pain and scarring. Simultaneously, the recipient receives the donated kidney through a separate incision in the lower abdomen, where the new kidney is connected to the recipient's blood vessels and bladder. The entire process is performed under general anesthesia and typically requires a hospital stay of 14–21 days for monitoring and immunosuppressive therapy initiation.