Until recently, medical centers had a simple answer for a person volunteering to make a living donation of an organ who did not have a close relationship with the potential recipient: Not possible.

Many medical centers still refuse to even consider the possibility of accepting an organ from a so-called "Samaritan Donor." In Canada, the practice is illegal.

The reluctance stems from such considerations as:

• Concern that the act of donation could harm the donor. While the operation to remove the kidney from a donor now has an extremely low mortality rate of .03 percent (three deaths for every 10,000 surgeries), the mortality rate is not zero. And for living liver donation, there have been reports of at least three donors dying over the past several years in the United States and Europe while attempting to donate part of their liver.

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• Concern about the mental stability of the donor. The British Columbia Transplant Society, in a recent analysis of 21 potential donors, concluded that many had significant psychological conditions, including severe depression.
• Concern about the motives and potentially the subsequent actions of the donor. Even if the donation was made anonymously, might the donor attempt to subsequently locate the recipient and seek reward or compensation.

Nevertheless, some medical centers are now accepting kidneys from some "Samaritan Donors."

The University of Minnesota, which started such a program last year, recently reported that of 118 individuals who exressed an interest in donating a kidney, more than half the group quickly dropped out of the program. But of the remaining 48, 32 were evaluated and denied, 9 are completing evaluation, and 7 donated kidneys.

And the British Columbia Transplant Society reported that five of the 21 potential Samaritan Donors it evaluated were mentally and physicially suitable, and "absolutely pure of heart."

"We're talking about people who are so altruistic, with beautiful reasons to want to do something like this. They have an incredible sense of humanity, they're very coherent, extraordinary people. It's really quite awe-inspiring," a spokesman said.

Presumably, success rates would be similar to those for other living unrelated donors. Please see the data tables for more information on the living unrelated donor kidney success rates.

Thus far, no "Samaritan Donor" programs are know to exist for living donor liver transplants.

All information provided in this site is offered for educational purposes only, and it is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your own physician or healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.