Follow the journey of two kidneys from deceased vs. live donor
Organ Transplant
Technology Trends
Transplant Technology Time Travel
Transplant Time Travel
No one knows everything the future holds for organ transplantation, but that future is certainly bright. Each day, clinicians and researchers make greater strides in artificial organ development and scaffold-grown organs ex vivo. New transportation technologies are allowing for a greater number of viable transplant organs than ever before. But where did it all begin? Join us for a short journey back through time, and then we invite you to download a copy of our free handbook about the incredible world of organ donation.
“I’ve not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”
Thomas Edison
2021
US sets record for highest number of transplants in a year, totalling over 41K
2014
A cure for hepatitis C is found, increasing the potential liver donor pool
2000
The first crew lives on the International Space Station (ISS)
1991
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
1989
Nintendo releases the Game Boy
1989
First successful living donor liver transplant
1986
First successful double-lung transplant
1969
Neil Armstrong is the first human to walk on the moon
1968
First successful heart transplant
1955
The Vietnam War begins
1954
First successful kidney transplant
1939
World War II begins
1936
Voronoy unsuccessfully transplanted human kidneys into six patients dying of acute renal failure
1928
Fleming discovered penicillin, leading to the introduction of antibiotics
1912
Carrel wins the Nobel Prize in Physiology for successfully sewing two vessels together
1909
Typhoid Mary makes her debut
1906
Jaboulay and Carrel unsuccessfully transplant pig and goat kidneys into patients
1903
The Wright brothers achieved the first successful airplane flight
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Live Donor Kidney Journey
A middle-aged woman with two healthy kidneys has decided to donate one of them to a family member suffering from lifelong kidney disease.
After one of the two healthy kidneys is surgically removed and immersed in a cold perfusion solution, a perfusionist wheels the kidney over to the next operating room where the recipient lies waiting for the donation from her family member.
After the surgeons flush the gray kidney of the donor’s residual plasma, they study the organ, finish preparing the abdominal cavity, and then place the kidney in its new home.
Finally, they begin the intricate process of joining the right iliac artery and vein to the kidney and sew the donor’s ureter to the recipient’s. The kidney quickly perfuses from gray to pink.
The surgeons wait until they see urine leaking from the ureter, a sign that the kidney has successfully adapted to its new home.
Deceased Donor Kidney Journey
A man with two healthy kidneys has been in an accident. EMTs are doing everything they can to save the patient’s life.
Upon the patient’s arrival, the ER team continues the life-saving efforts through medicine, IV fluids, a blood transfusion and ventilator.
Medical staff attempt to stabilize the patient's vital signs, but after irreversible loss of blood flow to the brain, brain death is declared.
Medical specialists from the Organ Procurement Organization arrive at the hospital and assess whether the patient is medically suited to donate his organs.
The doctor informs the family of the patient’s death and they discuss donation. The patient was a registered donor, so the OPO works with the family to honor the patient’s wishes.
To begin the allocation process, the donor’s information is entered into the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) digital system. Timing is of the essence at this point.
The kidneys are removed from the donor with care and respect. The kidneys are placed immediately in an organ preservation device, increasing the odds they will arrive viable at the recipient's hospital due to the continuous perfusion with oxygen and nutrient delivery, even in the event of a longer travel time.
The kidneys arrive at the appropriate hospital where a young woman, who has been on dialysis for several years, receives both kidneys.
While keeping the patient’s name confidential, the OPO sends a letter to the family letting them know that the kidneys have been transplanted and a life has been saved.
Where in the World?
One donor potentially saves eight lives and improves the lives of 75 more. Hover over a map of the world to see which countries have the highest – and lowest – number of total organ donations measured in people per million.
Hover over the blue continents to reveal stats
United States
120.59
People per million
Europe (excluding Spain and the Russian Federation)
42.7
People per million
Russian Federation
113.45
People per million
Japan
17.68
People per million
Spain
94.59
People per million
Pop Quiz
Test your knowledge of organ donations and transplants in this interactive quiz.
Question
The number of people on the waiting list for a transplant in the US alone is:
Every donor can save _____ lives
The _______ is the most transplanted organ in the world.
The median survival time among kidney recipients is _____ years, compared with 5.4 years among those on the waiting list.
Which technological advancements are being used to extend the viability of donor organs?
Select Answer Below
A 50,701
B 75,934
C 106,669
D 29,837
A 2
B 8
C 3
D 6
A Heart
B Lung
C Liver
D Kidney
A 12.4
B 3.5
C 7.2
D 4.1
A Continuous perfusion
B Oxygen and nutrient delivery
C Controlled temperature
D All of the above
Let's Talk
Ready to take a deeper dive into the above topics and more? Download our free ebook to learn more about the fascinating world of organ donation and transplantation.
