If you have asthma and are thinking about becoming a living kidney donor, the reassuring news is that asthma does not automatically rule you out. Many people with asthma are able to donate a kidney. What matters most is the type of asthma you have, how well it is controlled, and how your lungs and general health are likely to cope with surgery.
This page explains how asthma is considered during the donor assessment process, what tests you might have, and what it means for your medication. It is general information rather than medical advice, and the final decision always rests with your transplant team who will look at your individual circumstances.
Mild, well-controlled asthma
If your asthma is mild and well controlled, it is unlikely to be a barrier to donating a kidney on its own. Where asthma is well managed, it generally adds little or no extra risk during surgery and anaesthesia.
As part of the assessment, your transplant team will want to understand how well your asthma is controlled from day to day. They may ask about things like how often you have symptoms, whether asthma wakes you at night, whether you use an inhaler and how often you use it, whether you can exercise comfortably, and whether you have needed steroid tablets or hospital treatment for your asthma in the past.
A clear picture of good control is reassuring, and for many people with mild asthma, donation is entirely possible.
When asthma might prevent living kidney donation
Asthma is more likely to be a concern when it is severe or poorly controlled. Frequent asthma attacks, regular flare-ups, hospital admissions, or the need for long-term steroid tablets can all make surgery and anaesthesia riskier. The main concern is around the anaesthetic itself and the recovery afterwards, because poorly controlled asthma raises the chance of breathing problems such as the airways tightening (bronchospasm) around the time of the operation.
If your asthma falls into this category, it does not automatically mean donation is impossible, but your team will look very carefully at whether it can be done safely. Their priority is always your long-term health and safety. If you have any questions about this, you can contact your transplant team for more information and advice based on your own circumstances.
What tests will you need if you have asthma?
Every living kidney donor goes through a thorough health assessment before they can donate, and having asthma may mean a few extra checks.
The standard assessment usually includes a chest X-ray and a heart trace (ECG) to confirm your heart and lungs are up to major surgery. If you have asthma, you may also be asked to have:
- Breathing tests, such as spirometry, which measures how well your lungs are working.
- A review of your asthma history and the medication you take.
- In some cases, a referral to a respiratory (lung) specialist.
These steps simply help the transplant team build a full picture of your health, so they can make a safe and informed decision together with you.
Asthma medication and kidney donation
Being open about all of your medication is one of the most helpful things you can do. Most inhaled asthma medicines, including preventer and reliever inhalers, are not a problem for donation, and people are usually advised to keep taking their regular asthma treatment right up to and including the day of surgery.
Long-term steroid tablets (oral corticosteroids) are more of a consideration. Taking them regularly over a long period can affect how your body copes with the stress of surgery and recovery, so your team and the anaesthetist will want to know about this and plan around it. Whatever medication you take, your anaesthetic team will give you clear, personalised instructions about what to do before and after your operation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my inhaler before surgery?
In most cases, yes. People with asthma are usually advised to keep taking their regular inhalers, including on the day of surgery, and to bring them into hospital. However, you should always follow the specific instructions your anaesthetic and transplant team gives you, as they will tailor their advice to you.
Will donating a kidney make my asthma worse?
There is no evidence that donating a kidney makes asthma worse in the long term. Your lungs and your kidneys do different jobs, and removing one kidney does not affect your asthma directly. As with any operation on the tummy area, you may find deep breathing a little uncomfortable for a short while during recovery. Your team will support you through this.
Do I need to see a lung specialist before donating?
Not always. Many people with well-controlled asthma will not need to. A referral to a respiratory specialist is usually only suggested if your assessment raises questions about your lungs or your asthma control that the team would like to explore further.
Next steps
If you have asthma and are considering living kidney donation, the best first step is simply to talk it through. A conversation with a transplant coordinator, or with our team, can help you understand whether donation might be possible for you and what the assessment would involve. There is no obligation, and asking questions does not commit you to anything.
You can work through our getting started checklist when you feel ready, or get in touch with our team and we will help you find the right next step.
Sources
- StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf) – Anesthesia Management in Patients with Asthma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537327/
Clinical evidence, on surgery in general, that well-controlled asthma carries a low anaesthetic risk while poorly controlled asthma raises it, that asthma control should be assessed beforehand, and that regular asthma medicines are continued up to and including the day of surgery.
- British Journal of Anaesthesia – Perioperative considerations for the patient with asthma and bronchospasm
https://www.bjanaesthesia.org.uk/article/S0007-0912(17)33865-5/fulltext
UK anaesthesia reference on assessing asthma control before surgery and reducing the risk of bronchospasm around anaesthesia. Covers surgery generally, not kidney donation specifically.
- NHS Organ Donation – Becoming a living donor
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/become-a-living-donor/donating-your-kidney/
UK patient-facing overview of the living donor assessment process. Confirms the general health-check pathway; does not address asthma specifically.
- 4. Tavares et al. – Effects of nephrectomy on respiratory function and quality of life of living donors (longitudinal study)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4620974/
Donor-specific evidence that lung capacity dips temporarily in the days after donor surgery and then recovers, which is why deep breathing can be briefly uncomfortable during recovery.
