List and repudiate five common myths concerning organ transplantation?

Answer 1

-That animal organs are frequently used for human transplants: they are not. Xenotransplantation rarely works and carries far greater risks than allotransplantation.

- That the recipient will take on some of the donor's personality or traits: This is not considered "normal" or even commonplace in transplantation surgery. Sometimes odd cases do make the news of recipients who take on characteristics of their donors. However, dietary and personality changes can quite easily be related to necessary post-transplant medications. In particular, cortecosteroids can result in huge changes in dietary habits, and mood swings/impulsiveness. It is also slightly psychologically natural to feel "close" to a person who is in effect keeping you alive, even if you may never have met them.

- Children are a higher transplantation priority: not necessarily. Organs go to those who are in greatest need and are a correct match. But few children need to be transplanted compared to adults, there is normally enough child-sized donors to cope, and also adult organs can be scaled down for someone smaller (but not scaled up). Hence it sometimes appears children are being transplanted before adults, when it's really just a case of using what organs are available.

-As soon as you have a transplant, that's it. You're cured. : Nope, maintenance of the transplanted organ is just as crucial as having a transplant to begin with. You'll probably still need to make a few small lifestyle adjustments in order to maintain a good general health.

- You can only get organ failure (and require a transplant) as the result of living a terrible lifestyle: Best to point out genetics, auto-immune disorders, accident/injury, congenital defects, viral infections etc...