Organs for Transplants

Thousands of lives depend on receiving organs and tissues for transplant, but there is a severe and ongoing shortage of donor organs. Currently, there are more than 123,000 people in the United States that are waiting for an organ.  Every 12 minutes one more person is added to the national UNOS waiting list. Each of these people our in desperate need of either a kidney, liver, heart, or other organs.  About  21 people die a day waiting for a transplant or before an organ becomes available to them, that is more than 6,500 people a year. This is why it is important to become an organ donor. 

Liver

  • The liver is the largest organ in the body, weighs around 3 lbs.
  • The liver is responsible for the breakdown of harmful substances in our blood
  • It also produces bile that aids in digestion. The liver processes what we eat and drink. This allows the body to filter medications and toxins,  fats, metabolize carbohydrates and proteins.
  • Liver failure can be caused by
    • Chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C
    • Bile duct diseases
    • Genetic diseases
    • Autoimmune liver diseases
    • Primary liver cancer
    • Alcoholic liver disease
    • Fatty liver disease
  • These causes of liver disease may lead to cirrhosis (which creates scar tissue on the liver), that blocks the flow of blood and impedes its functions.
  • Nationally, more than 17,000 people are currently waiting for a liver transplants and the number keeps growing. More than 1,500 people a year die before receiving a liver transplant.
  • Liver transplants are the only hope for long-term survival for patients with end-stage liver disease.
  • Most liver transplants involve transplanting the entire liver and replaced with a healthy one. 
  • A liver from an adult donor can often be split and transplanted into two people. However, it is possible to transplant part of a live. The organ can regenerate itself within the body. So it is possible for a person to be a living liver donor, as both the transplanted lobe and the donor’s lobe will grow in their respective bodies.
  • In 2015, there were 7,127 liver transplants performed nationally.

Lungs

  • Our lungs are responsible for absorbing oxygen into the bloodstream and removing carbon dioxide from the body.
  • The lungs are comprised of 5 lobes – 3 on the right and 2 on the left. A person is able to live with only 30% lung capacity, but people who have even more damage require a transplant.
  • Reasons for lung damage can include hereditary issues, smoking or environmental pollution.
  • Lung transplants give renewed life to young people afflicted with cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension patients.
  • Currently, more than 1,429 people await life-saving lung transplants in the United States.
  • Transplants are crucial for potential lung transplant recipients and are time sensitive. Without it, patients require round-the-clock oxygen while on the waiting list. 
  • In 2015, there were 2,057 lung transplants performed nationally.

​Pancreas 
  • Pancreas is part of the digestive system, it produces insulin, a hormone that transforms sugar into fuel for the body. The pancreas also produces enzymes that break down fat, protein and carbohydrates during digestion.
  • A person with a poorly functioning pancreas has a surplus of sugar in the blood because the body is not producing enough insulin. Excess sugar in the blood can lead to kidney failure, heart disease, stroke or even death.
  • Many people with pancreas failure also have renal failure. The most common cause of pancreas disease is type I diabetes, previously referred to as "juvenile diabetes". In the United States, doctors frequently transplant a kidney with the pancreas.
  • Currently, more than 982 people await life-saving pancreas transplants in the United States. And 1,918 people are waiting for a pancreas/kidney transplant.
  • In 2015, there were 228 pancreas and 719 pancreas/kidney transplants were performed nationally.

Heart

  • The heart is the body’s hardest-working muscle. It pumps blood throughout the body. The heart takes deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, where it gives up wastes and is than freshly oxygenated. The blood returns to the heart and is pumped to throughout the body.
  • Like any muscle, the heart can be subject to fatigue, especially if it has been weakened by a number of cardiovascular diseases. A heart transplant is usually needed following medical conditions such as coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy or weakening of the heart muscle. If the heart experiences enough damage, patients may need a heart transplant. 
  • Currently, heart transplants and combination heart/lung transplants our routinely common.
  • There are more than 4,000 people awaiting a heart transplant right now in the United States.
  • In 2015, there were 2,804 heart transplants performed nationally.

Kidney

  • The primary function of the kidneys is to remove waste from the body through the production of urine.
  • The kidneys are powerful chemical factories that perform the following functions: 
    • remove waste products and drugs from the body
    • balance the body's fluids
    • release hormones that regulate blood pressure
    • produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes strong and healthy bones
    • control the production of red blood cells, help regulate blood pressure, blood volume and the chemical (electrolyte) composition of the blood.
  • Kidney transplants are usually needed in some form of kidney failure,
    • diabetes
    •  high blood pressure
    • or a number of diseases that can be inherited. If left untreated, kidney failure can be fatal.
  • Currently, more than 99,825 people are on the waiting list for kidney transplants.
  • On average, patients on the donor list wait five years for a kidney transplant.
  • Currently, kidney transplants are the most frequently performed and the most successful organ transplant procedure!
  • While most people are born with two kidneys, but can survive with only one. 
  • In 2015, there were 17,878 kidney transplants performed nationally.


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TISSUE FOR TRANSPLANT
               A person has the ability to donate a variety of tissues. Much like organ donation, tissue donation can dramatically change someone’s quality of life or save someone’s life. 

Corneas
                Corneas help to restore sight to those who are/become blind or who have suffered trauma to the eye.

Bone/Tendon
                Bone and tendon transplants can help a patient avoid amputation of their bones or tendons  that have been affected by  trauma, tumors or infection.

Heart Valves
               A donated heart valve can restore heart function. Heart valves transplanted into a patient’s body can grow with that patient's, enabling them to avoid additional surgeries.

Vein/Artery
              Transplantation of veins and arteries into a transplant recipient’s body during coronary artery bypass surgery. Patients that are suffering with diabetes, a transplanted vein or artery can restore blood flow to a limb is  not receiving enough blood, thereby avoiding the need for future amputation.
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Skin
              Patient who is suffering with burns or trauma can greatly benefit from skin transplants, the newly donated skin can protect the body from infection and promote healing. Donated skin can also be used to repair cleft palates or for mastectomy reconstruction.