UCSF Suspends Kidney Transplants From Living Donors After Death

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – UCSF Medical Center announced Thursday that it has voluntarily suspended kidney transplants from living donors, following the recent death of a donor.

According to a medical center statement, the donor passed away after donating their kidney in November. UCSF said the cause of death has not been determined and remains under investigation.

The person who received the kidney has a functioning transplant, UCSF said.

"The safety and well-being of our patients is our top priority, and every effort is being made to understand what happened. We are deeply saddened by this tragic event," the medical center said.

UCSF Medical Center is still continuing other transplant programs, including kidney transplants from deceased donors and liver transplants from living donors.

Between 2009 and 2013, four living kidney donors died within 30 days of donation, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network. The medical center said none of those deaths occurred at UCSF.

The medical center has performed more than 10,000 kidney transplants since 1964.