Organ Transplants

The first organ transplant occurred in 1954, when Ronald Lee Herrick donated one of his kidneys to his brother, Richard. The surgery was led by Dr. Joseph Murray, who later won a Nobel prize for developing the surgical technique regarding kidney transplants. The surgery took place in Boston, Massachusetts.

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The average liver transplant surgery takes anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to complete. This includes the removal of the non-functional liver to attaching the replacement liver and closing the wound.

Yes, as long as there is no kidney damage, that is one of the complications from diabetes but kidney damage doesn't effect everyone.

The pros of kidney transplants is that the transplanted kidneys will work like a normal kidney, there will be fewer diet restrictions, there won't be need for dialysis and the person may feel more healthier. The cons of kidney transplants is that it requires major surgery, there is a wait for a donor, the body may reject the kidney and there is a need to take immunosuppressants.

No. They will be fit and healthy after the transplant and can go back to living a normal life.

they have tens of thousands of names on them, don't lost faith though, I was on it and am now off!! The more critical it is for you to get the transplant the farther up the list you will be, it also has to do with the matching of the blood. Have a bag packed at all times just in case.

In the UK the wait for a kidney is around 2.5 years.

Around 8 hours, but it depends on the organ. Hearts have less time than 8 hours, kidneys have more. Corneas can be stored for a couple of weeks. But obviously the sooner they can be used, the better the outcome.

19, Because of the shortage of organs. I heard that they might try to cryogenically freeze them to keep them fresh longer.

It depends why you're on azathioprine and if you're also on any other drugs that have a similar effect.

For example, if you're on azathioprine to prevent organ rejection following a transplant, you may lose the graft if you stop taking azathioprine. On the other hand, if you're also on another immunosuppressive such as cyclosporin or tacrolimus, and stop taking azathioprine, you're unlikely to notice an immediate difference, although in the long run you may find that your graft function declines quicker than expected.

You should always consult your doctor before stopping (or starting) any medication.

Sabrina Le-Good aged one, in 1997. She now has mental issues though, and receves therapy 4 times a week.

Anna Lacey aged 5 was the second person, for exactly the same reason as above. It had affecteded her worse, and she unfortunatly died to weeks later.

Organ donation is very divine. instead of getting decomposed, it will give life to some one. A part of you will "live on" for some time, giving life to another. Unless you're Einstein, Bach or Shakespeare, it is about the only way an everyday person can achieve some degree of "immortality".

To prevent the patient from rejecting the donated organ, usually the drug Tacrolimus will be used to immunosuppress the patient. (Although sometimes it's Sirolimus). Steroids are also commonly used alongside the main immunosuppressant.

Xenotransplantation can help save lives as there is a shortage of human donors, but is it right to kill the animals for organs?

What unavoidable factor would diminish dthe chance of success of a lung transplant, but is not a factor at all in a heart transplant

Yes.

• Graspers, such as forceps
• Clamps and occluders for blood vessels and other organs
• Retractors, used to spread open skin, ribs and other tissue
• Distractors, positioners and stereotactic devices
• Mechanical cutters (scalpels, lancets, drill bits, rasps, trocars, Ligasure, etc.)
• Dilators and specula, for access to narrow passages or incisions
• Suction tips and tubes, for removal of bodily fluids
• Sealing devices, such as surgical staplers
• Irrigation and injection needles, tips and tubes, for introducing fluid
• Tyndallers, to help "wedge" open damaged tissues in the brain.
• Powered devices, such as drills, dermatomes
• Scopes and probes, including fiber optic endoscopes and tactile probes
• Carriers and appliers for optical, electronic and mechanical devices
• Ultrasound tissue disruptors, cryotomes and cutting laser guides
• Measurement devices, such as rulers and calipers

Dec. 23, 1954, the first successful long-term transplant of a human organ was performed by Dr. Joseph Murray in Boston. It was a kidney transplant between identical twins, Ronald and Richard Herrick. Richard died in 1962 from a recurrence of his original kidney disease in the transplanted kidney.

December 3, 1967, South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard conducted the first heart transplant on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky. He died 8 days later from complications of the medications to suppress his immune system.

If you have a heart transplant and it is successful, you should be "device free" afterwards. (i.e no pacemakers, ventilators, Berlin hearts etc...)

Before transplantation, some patients may require a Berlin heart. Others may require oxygen tanks, pacemakers, or be on ventilators, not to mention standard hospital equipment which they may be attached to from time to time.

cookies and milk

You publically advertise the need for more donors (which does have an affect, but only for a few months after the campaign). Making organ donation more socially acceptable generally helps. Or you change the system of organ donation from being "opt-in" (i.e you have to say that you wish to be an organ donor) to "opt-out" (you have to say that you do not wish to be an organ donor, otherwise it is assumed that you do wish to be an organ donor). The possibility of 'paying' people for their organs (or covering the cost of their funeral) may boost numbers organ donors, however this also creates ethical and moral issues (not to mention legal issues).

Livers can be "split" into two pieces, for use in two people (if required).

Skin

Animal to animal transplants only ever occur for research purposes, not life-extension of family pets. However when researching for human transplants, many animal transplants have to be done.