GoodHearts Resources and Reading Room
Transplantation: An Overview
Transplantation is the act of surgically removing
an organ from one person and placing it into
another person. A transplant is done because
the potential recipient's own organ has failed
or has been damaged through illness or injury.
Since the first successful organ transplant,
thousands of recipients have had their lives
extended and health enhanced as a result of
organ transplantation. Survival rates of recipients
continue to improve, but a transplant is not
a cure, it's merely a way to manage “chronic
wellness”.
Transplantation also includes some negative
effects on a patient's quality of life. There
is the financial burden during the patient's
illness, when the patient is unable to work;
and the caregiver, usually a member of the
family, may have to take a leave of absence
or drop out of the labour force to look after
the patient, take him/her to appointments,
assessments prior to and after the transplant.
The cost of some medications also may play
a significant role in the patient's noncompliance
with treatment regimen and such disruption
of the therapy eventually could lead to rejection
of the transplanted organ.
There are physical side-effects as well as
psychological and social issues that must be
addressed after transplantation. Positive outcomes
require provisions for patient education and
support services that go beyond the medical
needs following transplantation.
Recipients know best the real value of increasing
the number of donated organs: an extended lifetime,
improved quality of life and a chance to resume
activities that would have been precluded without
a transplant.
Families often view organ donation as a way
to redeem an otherwise tragic situation; as
a way to honour their loved one's life, passion
and philosophy; and as a way to help others
live.
Cultural and religious traditions and beliefs
about the treatment of the dead body, beliefs
about life after death and fears of mutilation
can influence decisions about organ donation.
Several studies have addressed the economic
value of increased organ donation. They estimate
that, on average, a deceased organ donor adds
13 quality-adjusted life years to a recipient.
Assuming a life year is worth $100,000, then
each donor is worth $1,085,000 to society.
Transplants are cost-effective. For patients
with kidney disease, for instance, the average
cost of dialysis treatment is $50,000 a year.
The one time cost of a kidney transplant is
approximately $20,000 and the annual costs
of anti-rejection medications is about $7,000.
Canada's donor rate is among the lowest in
the industrialized world Ñ about 14-15 people
per million. GoodHearts encourages Canadians
to register their wishes to donate, if a registry
is available in their province, and discuss
their decision with their family members.
[ top ]
Transplantation
in the Capital Health Region (Edmonton, AB)
The first organ transplanted at the University
of Alberta (U of A) Hospital was a kidney in
1967. Since that historic kidney transplant,
close to 4,000 solid organs and countless tissue
have been transplanted at the largest transplant
centre in Western Canada.
Solid organ transplants performed at the U
of A Hospital include heart, lung, liver, kidney
and intestines. The world-renown Islet Transplant
Centre is located here as is Canada's first
Comprehensive Tissue Centre to be accredited
by the American Association of Tissue banks.
Dr. Dennis Modry performed the first heart
transplant in Western Canada in 1985. Since
that historic moment, more than 500 people
have received this wonderful gift of a renewed
life at the U of A Hospital.
Found at the U of A Hospital site, the Stollery
Children's Hospital is equally successful and
progressive with its pediatric heart transplant
program and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute
opened in 2008.
[ top ]
Transplantation on the Web
Capital Health Region (Edmonton, AB): www.capitalhealth.ca
Organ & Tissue
Donation : F.A.Q.
Tissue Transplantation
Heart Transplantation
Lung Transplantation
Pancreas Transplantation
Kidney Transplantation
Liver Transplantation
Canadian Institute for Health Information
Canadian Organ Replacement Register: CORR
e-statistics on transplantation
Medline Plus: Organ
Transplantation
MedHunters.com: Transplant
Timeline
British Columbia Transplant Society: www.transplant.bc.ca
London (ON) Health Sciences Centre: Multi-Organ
Transplant Program
Toronto General Hospital: Multi-Organ Transplant
Program
Wikipedia: Organ
Transplants
[ top ]
