What is the initial step in determining kidney transplant compatibility?

The initial step in determining kidney transplant compatibility focuses on blood type matching. This is crucial because the donor and recipient’s blood types need to be compatible to prevent severe immune reactions following transplantation. There are four primary blood types (A, B, AB, and O), and matching these appropriately is fundamental in ensuring the success of the transplant.

While tissue typing and cross-matching are essential steps that follow blood type matching to ensure a better match, the blood type is the first consideration since an incompatible blood type could lead to immediate rejection of the transplant. Evaluating donor age is also important but comes later in the compatibility assessment process, focusing more on the overall viability of the donor organ rather than initial compatibility.