Brianna Benson
Search results
Organ transplantation is a medical procedure in which an organ is removed from one body and placed in the body of a recipient, to replace a damaged or missing organ. The donor and recipient may be at the same location, or organs may be transported from a donor site to another location.
Simply put, there aren't enough organ donors, so patients must wait months, even years, for their chance at recovery. In this article, we'll look the three major processes involved in organ transplantation: the organ distribution system, the surgery itself and the post-surgery recovery.
Types of organ transplants. 1. Heart transplant. A healthy heart from a donor who has suffered brain death is used to replace a patient’s damaged or diseased heart. Singapore’s first heart transplant was carried out in July 1990.
- Overview
- What to expect
- Statistics
- Finding a donor
- Benefits
- Risks
- Outlook
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
When a person needs an organ transplant, it is because one of their organs is working very poorly or failing. Undergoing an organ transplant can lengthen a person’s life and allow those with a chronic illness to live a normal lifespan.
Many people need an organ transplant due to a genetic condition such as polycystic kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, or a heart defect.
Infections such as hepatitis, physical injuries to organs, and damage due to chronic conditions such as diabetes may also cause a person to require a transplant.
Surgeons performed more than 36,000 organ transplants in 2018, but many more people need organs. In January 2019, more than 113,000 people in the United States were on organ transplant waiting lists. More than 2,000 children need organs.
In most cases, a person will die if they do not have an organ transplant. On average, 20 people die each day waiting for an organ.
In other cases, an organ transplant improves a person’s quality of life, such as by removing the need for dialysis or restoring sight with a cornea transplant.
Because people who need organs typically have very serious illnesses, they may be very sick before the transplant.
The process will begin when a doctor puts a person on the organ transplant list. This requires a doctor to examine the person, diagnose a serious medical condition, and conclude that they are a suitable candidate for an organ transplant.
Organ transplantation is a complex process that requires a close match between the recipient and donor. The donor and recipient must have compatible blood types, for example.
Depending on the organ involved, other factors may also be relevant. For example, kidney donors and their recipients must have compatible antibodies and similar body sizes.
Every day, more than 80 people in the U.S. receive donated organs. Many more need to. According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, 95% of people in the U.S. support organ donation, but just 58% have signed up to be donors.
A single deceased donor can save up to eight people’s lives, as well as improve the lives of more than 100 people by donating tissue.
Myths around organ donation deter some people from donating their organs. The following statements are untrue:
•Doctors work less hard to save the lives of organ donors.
•Organ donation makes it impossible to have an open casket.
•Most religions oppose organ donation.
For people who need an organ, finding a donor may take weeks, months, or longer. There are two legal ways to obtain an organ:
•A person can wait for a donor to become available on the transplant list.
•A person can find their own donor. This is usually a family member or friend of the person who needs a transplant, but some people are willing to donate to people they don’t know. Some people even advertise for donors using social media, radio, or billboards.
There are two types of donor:
•Living donors can donate a kidney, a lung, or a portion of the pancreas, liver, or intestines. They must be in reasonably good health.
•Deceased donors can donate two kidneys, two lungs, the heart, pancreas, corneas, and intestines. They may also donate body tissue, such as heart valves, tendons, or skin. Hand and face donation became an option in 2014.
The benefits of an organ transplant depend on the organ a person receives. Some benefits may include:
•avoiding medical procedures such as dialysis
•living a longer life
•living a healthier or less painful life
•gaining an improved quality of life, such as when a cornea transplant restores a person’s sight
•correcting congenital disabilities that endanger a person’s life
For almost all organ transplant recipients, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
Most people who need an organ will die or live a much shorter life without a transplant. However, organ transplants are risky surgeries, especially since those who need them often are very ill.
Some risks associated with organ transplant surgery include:
•complications related to the use of anesthesia, including death
•bleeding or other complications during the procedure
•postsurgical complications, such as infection
The outlook for a recipient depends on the organ they receive, the reason for the transplant, their age, their overall health, and other factors.
Some people may need another organ transplant. A very young kidney recipient, for example, might outlive their organ. Others may live long lives without the need for another organ.
Most people, however, will need ongoing medical care, and they must continue to take anti-rejection drugs.
It is vital to discuss the risks and benefits of organ transplantation with a doctor. Because lifestyle directly affects organ health, including that of transplanted organs, organ recipients should talk with their doctor to get advice on how to lengthen their lives and protect their organs.
Learn about the process, statistics, and myths of organ transplants in the U.S. Find out how to become a donor, what to expect before and after surgery, and how to prevent rejection and infection.
Transplantation of human cells, tissues or organs saves many lives and restores essential functions where no alternatives of comparable effectiveness exist. In 50 years, transplantation has become a successful worldwide practice.
Transplantation is the removal of living, functioning cells, tissues, or organs from the body and then their transfer back into the same body or into a different body. The most common type of transplantation is a blood transfusion. Blood transfusions are used to treat millions of people each year.
Our organ transplantation team of specialists drive innovation through research and care for patients needing heart, lung, kidney, liver transplants here at Ohio State. Here is some info from Ohio State – improving lives through excellence in research, education and patient care.
Related searches
Films & TV shows starring Brittney Bertier
Films & TV shows
