Definition

Transplantation is a procedure that is done to replace one of your organs with a healthy one from another person. The surgery is only one part of a complex, long-term process.

Several experts will help you prepare for the procedure, and make sure you are comfortable before, during, and after surgery.

Information

Transplant surgery is most often done to replace a diseased body part with a healthy one.

SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

• Auto islet cell transplant is done after a person has their pancreas removed due to long-term (chronic) pancreatitis. The procedure takes insulin-producing cells from the pancreas and returns them to the person's body.
• Corneal transplant replaces a damaged or diseased cornea. The cornea is the clear tissue on the front of the eye that helps focus light on the retina. Contact lenses sit on the cornea.
• Heart transplant is an option for someone with heart failure that has not responded to treatment.
• Intestinal transplant is an option for people with short bowel or short gut syndrome or advanced liver disease, or who must receive all nutrients through an intravenous (through a vein) feeding line.
• Kidney transplant is an option for someone with long-term (chronic) kidney failure. It may be done with a kidney-pancreas transplant.
• Liver transplant may be the only option for someone with liver disease that has led to liver failure.
• Lung transplant may replace one or both lungs. It may be the only option for someone with lung disease who has not gotten better using other medicines and therapies, and is expected to survive for less than 2 years.

BLOOD/BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS (STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS)

You may need a stem cell transplant:

• If you have a disease that damages the cells in bone marrow
• If you received high doses of chemotherapy or radiation

Depending on the type of transplant, your procedure may be called a:

• Bone marrow transplant
• Cord blood transplant
• Peripheral blood stem cell transplant

All three use stem cells, which are immature cells that give rise to all blood cells. Stem cell transplants are similar to blood transfusions and generally do not need surgery.

There are two types of transplants:

• Autologous transplants use your own blood cells or bone marrow.
• Allogeneic transplants use a donor's blood cells or bone marrow. A syngeneic allogeneic transplant uses cells or bone marrow from the person's identical twin.

THE TRANSPLANT SERVICES TEAM

The transplant services team includes carefully selected experts, including:

• Surgeons who specialize in performing organ transplants
• Medical doctors
• Radiologists and medical imaging technologists
• Nurses
• Infectious disease experts
• Physical therapists
• Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other counselors
• Social workers
• Nutritionists and dietitians

BEFORE AN ORGAN TRANSPLANT

You will have a complete medical exam to identify and treat all medical problems, such as kidney and heart disease.

The transplant team will evaluate you and review your medical history to determine if you meet the criteria for organ transplantation. Most types of organ transplants have guidelines detailing what type of person is most likely to benefit from a transplant and will be able to manage the challenging process.

If the transplant team believes you are a good candidate for a transplant, you will be put on a national waiting list. Your place on a waiting list is based on a number of factors, which depend on the type of transplant you are receiving.

Once you are on the waiting list, the search for a matching donor begins. Types of donors depend on your specific transplant:

• A living related donor is related to you, such as a parent, sibling, or child.
• A living unrelated donor is a person, such as a friend or spouse.
• A deceased donor is someone who has recently died. The heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, and pancreas can be recovered from an organ donor.

After donating an organ, living donors can live a normal, healthy life.

As you prepare for your transplant, you should identify family, friends, or other caregivers who can offer help and support during and after the transplant process.

You will also want to prepare your home to make it comfortable for when you return after being released from the hospital.

AFTER A TRANSPLANT

How long you stay in the hospital depends on the type of transplant that you have. During your stay in the hospital, you will be seen daily by the transplant services team.

Your transplant services coordinators will arrange for your discharge. They will discuss with you plans for:

• Care at home
• Transportation to clinic visits
• Housing, if needed

You will be told how to take care of yourself after the transplant. This will include information about:

• Medicines
• How often you need to visit your health care providers or the clinic
• What daily activities are allowed or off-limits

After leaving the hospital, you will return home.

You will have periodic follow-ups with the transplant team, as well as with your primary care doctor and any other specialists that may be recommended. The transplant services team will be available to answer any questions that you may have.

References

Badell IR, Adams AB, Ford M, Larsen CP. Transplantation immunobiology and immunosuppression. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.

Streat SJ. Organ donation. In: Bersten AD, Handy JM, eds. Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 102.

United Network for Organ Sharing website. Transplant. unos.org/transplant/. Accessed June 13, 2024.

U.S. Government Information on Organ Donation and Transplantation website. Learn about organ donation. www.organdonor.gov/learn. Updated April 2021. Accessed June 13, 2024.