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Division of Transplantation

Information for Transplant Donors

The Recovery Period (Donor)

After the surgery you will feel tired from the operation and anesthesia. You will also experience some pain from the incision. You will be given pain medication to relieve the discomfort. The discomfort decreases as you become more active.

You will be encouraged to get out of bed and ambulate on the first day after the surgery. You may drink on the morning after surgery and begin to eat by that afternoon. Intravenous fluids will be administered to you in the meantime. The average length of hospital stay for the donor is between 2 days.

As the incision heals, the pain will become less severe, but tenderness, tingling, and itching may continue for a number of weeks. You will be asked to return to see the doctor within one week of discharge from the hospital.