Living organ donation, a therapeutic possibility, is still poorly used in Italy: a national analysis

Validity of living donor kidney transplantation is universally accepted. In contrast, after enthusiastic adoption in the 1990s, living donor liver transplantation has decreased in recent years. The aim of the present study was to evaluate retrospectively the current use of this form of donation in Italy by comparing liver and kidney cadaveric and living donations from 2002 to 2010. The number of liver transplantations from living donors has decreased from 34 in 2002 (3.9% of total) to 13 in 2010 (1.3% of total). In contrast, kidney transplantation from living donors increased from 126 (7.9% of total) to 186 (11% of total). We observed that living donations for kidney transplantation are still underused, especially with unrelated donors. Living donor liver transplantation has decreased in recent years; this procedure should be reserved to centers with particular expertise. It would be appropriate to implement programs to increase the attention of health professionals and the general population and to integrate living donations into programs of deceased organ donation.