Why is there a waiting list for heart lung liver and kidney transplants?

Answer 1

In very basic terms, there is a lot of demand for organ transplants, but very little supply of organs. Many people require heart/lung/liver/kidney transplants, however the donation rate does not fulfil requirements.

If you were to need a transplant of a rarely transplanted body part (e.g a face), there would be plenty of supply since nobody else also wants them.

Furthermore, for hearts you cannot receive a donation from a living donor. (Clearly). Whereas you can for a kidney and part of a liver/lung. This eases requirements slightly, however there is still not enough organs to go around.

Although there are mechanical ways of maintaining or taking over heart/kidney (and to a certain extent liver and lung) function, the technology currently available does not currently achieve the full function that a donated organ should achieve. Technology still has a way to go, which reduces amounts of people waiting for a transplant very little. In reality, it just prolongs life/quality of life for those on a waiting list for until an organ can be found.

I should also point out that not all of the organs which are donated are actually usable in a transplant; many people who actually begin the process of donation have to be ruled out on something in their medical history (which would make the organ unsafe for the recipient). Also, sometimes it is not until the organs are retrieved from the donor and tested that it becomes clear they are unusable (tumors, scarring, abnormal shape etc...). This effectively means that a greater number of donors are needed than those in need of a transplant, just to find the suitable donors.

Many people are said to support organ donation, but few actually do something to show their support (e.g sign up as an organ donor). Equally, when some of those who have signed up as an organ donor have died, their family can still overrule their requests (and frequently do), which is fair enough, however I think this would happen less frequently if the potential donor discussed their wishes openly with their family. "Organ donation" is one of the few things which people seem not to want to think about, along with "death", "bills" and "homework", but I personally think that until this attitude is challenged, organ donation rates will remain low.

In around 20-30 years it does appear to be that new organs will be grown to specification in a lab then transplanted, however until that time a reliable source of donors will continue to be required - there's still a long way to go.

The main purpose of the actual "waiting list" (actually a computerized database, not so much a list) is to aid matching potential donors to recipients, based on age, blood group, size, how ill they are, time already spent on the list etc...

Answer 2

In very basic terms, there is a lot of demand for organ transplants, but very little supply of organs. Many people require heart/lung/liver/kidney transplants, however the donation rate does not fulfil requirements.

If you were to need a transplant of a rarely transplanted body part (e.g a face), there would be plenty of supply since nobody else also wants them.

Furthermore, for hearts you cannot receive a donation from a living donor. (Clearly). Whereas you can for a kidney and part of a liver/lung. This eases requirements slightly, however there is still not enough organs to go around.

Although there are mechanical ways of maintaining or taking over heart/kidney (and to a certain extent liver and lung) function, the technology currently available does not currently achieve the full function that a donated organ should achieve. Technology still has a way to go, which reduces amounts of people waiting for a transplant very little. In reality, it just prolongs life/quality of life for those on a waiting list for until an organ can be found.

I should also point out that not all of the organs which are donated are actually usable in a transplant; many people who actually begin the process of donation have to be ruled out on something in their medical history (which would make the organ unsafe for the recipient). Also, sometimes it is not until the organs are retrieved from the donor and tested that it becomes clear they are unusable (tumors, scarring, abnormal shape etc...). This effectively means that a greater number of donors are needed than those in need of a transplant, just to find the suitable donors.

Many people are said to support organ donation, but few actually do something to show their support (e.g sign up as an organ donor). Equally, when some of those who have signed up as an organ donor have died, their family can still overrule their requests (and frequently do), which is fair enough, however I think this would happen less frequently if the potential donor discussed their wishes openly with their family. "Organ donation" is one of the few things which people seem not to want to think about, along with "death", "bills" and "homework", but I personally think that until this attitude is challenged, organ donation rates will remain low.

In around 20-30 years it does appear to be that new organs will be grown to specification in a lab then transplanted, however until that time a reliable source of donors will continue to be required - there's still a long way to go.

The main purpose of the actual "waiting list" (actually a computerized database, not so much a list) is to aid matching potential donors to recipients, based on age, blood group, size, how ill they are, time already spent on the list etc...