10 FAQs on donation and transplantation

If you’ve ever had a question on organ donation or transplantation, chances are you may find it here in these 10 FAQs on donations and transplantations.

1- When was the first successful organ transplant done?

On December 23, 1954, Dr. Joseph E. Murray performed the first successful solid organ transplant at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, MA. The kidney was given by Ronald Herrick and transplanted into his identical twin, Richard Herrick.

2- When was the first successful heart transplant?

In 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard, in South Africa, performed the first successful heart transplant. That same year, the first successful liver transplant was performed by Dr. Thomas Starzl, of the University of Colorado, Denver, CO. It would take many more years when a heart/lung transplant was successfully completed in 1981, by Dr. Norman Shumway of Standford University Medical Center, in Palo Alto, CA.

3- Has an animal to human ever been done and has it been successful?

In 1992, a baboon’s liver transplanted into man dying of liver failure, at the University of Pittsburgh. He died  70 days after the transplant.

4- Do people waiting for organs really carry around beepers? Wouldn’t they be too sick to go anywhere?

Yes, in most cases, people who are waiting for a transplant carry around a tool that can ensure they are reachable at all times. Usually a beeper, it can go off at any time of the day or night.

While these people are extremely ill, they may be able to get out to get some fresh air, visit friends and family, and so on. In one particular case, in Montreal, there was a college student who carried around an artificial heart of sorts that kept him alive while he was waiting for a transplant.

5- what happens if I’m on a waiting list and an organ is available, but I’ve got a bad cold?

These decisions are made by the transplant team. It isn’t unusual though for surgeons to not go ahead with surgery if the patient is ill. Recovery from surgery in general is tough enough, but add to it the complexity and issues surrounding a transplant and a cold, this could be a very bad combination.

6- If my family donates, are we ever told what happens to the recipients?

Most programs have in place a method for you to communicate with the recipient families. Letters can be exchanged but the letters are reviewed by the coordinators to be sure that the relationship you’re forming with the recipients is a healthy one for both you and the recipient. In many cases, the families have met somewhere down the line when the program coordinators feel that this is a good thing for both parties.

7- If I donate a kidney to someone, can I get money for lost wages and such?

Organs can’t be bought or sold. Specific details about what costs are incurred should be discussed with the transplant coordination or procurement team.

8- Can I designate who would get my loved ones’ organs?

Not usually. The organ donation list is long and people are rated according to how sick they are and how badly they need the transplant. There are other issues as well. The person you may want to receive the organ may not be able to take it because the blood and tissue types may not match, the organs may not be the right size, or there may be other issues that come up, making the transplant impossible.

9- Can I leave my whole body instead of just a few organs?

Absolutely! There is more to donation and transplantation than just the “glamorous” parts (the heart, lungs, etc). Doctors can use the heart valves, body tissues, bones, skin, many parts of your body to help save or improve the lives up between 40 to 50 different people.

10- Where should I go to learn more about organ donation?

You can go to Donate Life to learn more.

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Images: Stock.chnge