European Transplantation History

The medical practice of organ transplantation has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 50 years. Each year the medical profession takes more risk with decisions regarding transplants, how to allocate for organs, and most recently conducting transplants on children with adult organs. “An organ transplantation is a surgical operation where a failing or damaged organ in the human body is removed and replaced with a new one” (Caplan, 2009). Not all organs can be transplanted. The term “organ transplant” typically refers to transplants of solid organs: heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and intestines. There are two ways of receiving an organ transplant: from a living human or an organ from a

Since the first successful kidney transplant in 1954, the procedure has evolved from a risky experimental procedure to a relatively safe and standard procedure. Since then, doctors have been consistently raising the bar and have had success with numerous organ transplants, including hearts, lungs, livers, skin and even full facial transplants. Organs can be donated from the obvious, a deceased person, or from a cadaveric donor (someone who is declared brain dead) or from live donors. The transplantable organs from a live donor include the kidney, part of the lung and liver, and part of the eye, the cornea. The donor organs

If your blood type is O you can donate to O, A, B, or AB. The blood type A can donate to A or AB, Blood type B can donate to B or AB. Ab can donate to A, B or AB. The A, B and AB genes are common while O isn’t as much. Another thing key for detecting whether or not an organ will match the recipients body is the major histocompatibility complex. This is a group of genes on the surface of the cell, the genes have building blocks of protein that help the immune system detect weird substances that are not recognised. When organs are transplanted into the recipient’s body the human leukocyte antigen molecules from the donor are recognised by the immune system, this allows the alloimmune response to match a donor with a recipient, this is especially important in the transplantation of kidneys. When organs (specifically kidneys) are transplanted new antigens are welcomed into the body, the immune system realises that these organs are not right so they are rejected, by recognising the MHC antigens in both the donor and recipient match these organs will not be

The introduction of organ donation to society has since been a groundbreaking medical discovery and life-saving procedure, portrayed in myths dating back to Ancient times, before the 16th century. Early performed procedures we’re primarily successful skin grafts and transplants among individuals in need. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that doctors had been documented performing experimental and risky transplants from animal organs to save human patients suffering from renal failure. Though successful, none of these patients lived more than a few days after the transplants. It wasn’t until December 23, 1954, that the first truly successful kidney transplant, from a living donor, was achieved. Dr. Joseph

In December of 1954, the first human organ transplant was performed in the United States between identical twin brothers. In the past sixty years, organ transplantation has become the gold standard in the treatment of organ failure from a number of underlying causes with dramatic improvements to recipients’ health and quality of life (Kaserman, 2007). From the first kidney transplant in 1954 to the late 1980’s, one of the biggest advancements was the use of cadaver organs. Organ rejection was the primary concern from the transplant team who knew that the use of cadaver organs posed higher risks of failure.

In 1950 Dr.Richland Lawler performed the first kidney transplant on forty-nine year old Ruth Tucker, that was dying from a condition called chronic uremia. Chronic Uremia is a complication of kidney disease(Bruno,Leonard.Science and Technology Breakthroughs Volume 1 376) . Unfortunately Tucker died from complications from the transplant surgery called immunological rejection(Bruno 377). Then 4 years later in 1954 Dr.Joseph E.Murray performed the first successful kidney transplant on identical twins(¨Medical

Due to the increase in medical technology over the years, medical advancements, such as organ transplants, have grown in commonality. This has increased the number of patient who needs such care. The problem with organ transplants arises from the debate on the ethical way to distribute organs and how to combat the issue of a lack of organ donors. An ethical approach to solving these issues is to develop a system of equal access that relies on maximizing benefits as well as respecting the rights of personal property through better patient-physician conversations when trying to increase organ donors.

Next, in 1905, a French surgeon transplanted pieces of a rabbit’s kidney into a sixteen year old boy. The reason for this surgery being the boy was suffering from the final stage of kidney failure. He died two

The medical industry had been achieving more in the stage of medical advancements, though they are still in the early phase. Artificial organs have been one of those achievements. Although they have achieved such, artificial organs are not perfect. Most doctors as well as patients would prefer to replace a dying organ with a compatible human organ, rather than with an artificial or animal organ. Yet due to a there being less organs donated than recipients, artificial and animal organs are becoming more common in transplants. Most of this issue is because people are unaware of how organ donation works, the organs that can be donated, how many people are in need, and the advancements that have happened in the field. Organ donation saves hundreds of lives every year, but many lives are recklessly lost due to a shortage of organ donors.

During the 18th century, the first successful transplant surgery took place. The surgery consisted of a kidney transplant. The surgery occurred in Boston, Massachusetts at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. The event happened through

One other factor that is evaluated in transplantation allocation is the correct blood type. This factor is crucial for transplants since the wrong blood type can lead to death. This tragedy had occurred to 17-year-old Jessica Santillian at Duke University Hospital when surgeons had given her a heart and two lungs with the wrong blood type. She and the rest of her family came “...to the United States from Mexico four years ago, smuggled into the country illegally by her parents in search of treatment for a life-threatening heart and lung disorder that doctors in Mexico could not fix. They moved to North Carolina.” (Kopp). After an hour and 15 minutes after the transplant was completed, her body started to reject the new organs. “The antibodies in her blood began attacking and destroying her new organs, and she later slipped into a light coma” (Kopp). The surgeons discovered that Jessica’s blood type was type O, yet the blood type of the new organs was type A. The surgeon in charge, Dr. Jaggers, was informed by the Carolina Donor Services about the donor’s blood type; however, he did not seem to recall the conversation and no one else double checked. He decided that it to improve the current situation, Jessica was to be given a second transplant,

The Donor Alliance Transplantation Science program has enjoyed incredible success during the past five years – the number of students reached has doubled and the program has received praise for its content and presentation. However, there is room for improvement and overcoming potential issues.

D. Thesis - Organ donation and Transplants are the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. They give hope to

First of all, it is important to understand the history of organ donation. It is not only important to know the history, but to examine the differences between donation in the past and what it is like today. Although many forms of study are always improving, Medicine is one that is constantly and drastically changing. Throughout the past century, all practices of healthcare have changed almost completely. Through technology and brilliant minds, medicine has boomed in opportunities. When a sick individual would be sent home to die almost twenty years ago, there are now endless treatments and possibilities today. Along with the boom of

For those who do not know, organ transplants are a relatively new idea. Since the eighteenth century, doctors have tried to formulate ways to successfully transplant organs from one human to another. Nevertheless, it was not until the 1950’s that a transplant was successfully completed. Necessary medical breakthroughs like blood typing and immunosuppressant drugs are vital