The use of living donors. Glomerular filtration rate during the first year after donor nephrectomy.

The functional increase in the remaining kidney after donor nephrectomy has two distinct components in man. There is a rapid initial increase in function within the first 24 hours, due to the circulatory adjustments in the kidney, but the mechanisms have not been elucidated. Thereafter, there is a further functional increase during the first year which in addition to the haemodynamic changes, also includes an increase in tubular function. The increased work-load on the kidney handling the increased volume of filtrate presented to the tubules may induce the increase in tubular function, but hormonal factors have been shown to contribute to the long-term increase in tubular function after contralateral nephrectomy.