Selecting a Hospital

Other Options to Consider

Multiple Listing

As addressed in the OPTN/UNOS Policy 3.2.2, patients may be listed at more than one transplant center. Being listed at more than one transplant center does not guarantee that an organ will become available faster than if you are listed at one transplant center. In addition, you probably would not benefit from listing at multiple centers in the same local allocation area. This is because waiting time priority is first calculated among candidates at all hospitals within the local donation area, not for each hospital individually.

It's important to note that some transplant programs may not accept multiple-listed patients. Others may set their own requirements for multiple-listed candidates.

If you choose to multiple list, your primary care physician should contact your centers of choice so that you may be evaluated as a transplant candidate, as you did with your primary evaluation. Read a detailed brochure now *

Transferal of Waiting Time

As addressed in the OPTN/UNOS Policy 3.2.2.1, patients may transfer their primary waiting time from one transplant center to another center. This transfer may be necessary for a number of reasons, such as a change in the transplant candidate's health insurance or if the candidate has moved. Read a detailed brochure now *

Living Donation

Living donor transplants are a viable alternative for patients in need of new organs. Many different types of organs can be donated by living donors, including:

  • single kidney
    This is the most frequent type of living organ donation. For the donor, there is little risk in living with one kidney because the remaining kidney compensates to do the work of both kidneys.
  • liver
    Individuals can donate segments of the liver, which has the ability to regenerate the segment that was donated and regain full function.
  • lung
    Although lung lobes do not regenerate, individuals can donate lobes of the lung.
  • intestine
    Although very rare, it is possible to donate a portion of your intestine.
  • pancreas
    Individuals can also donate a portion of the pancreas. Like the lung, the pancreas does not regenerate, but donors usually have no problems with reduced function.
  • heart
    A domino transplant makes some heart-lung recipients living heart donors. When a patient receives a heart-lung "bloc" from a deceased donor, his or her healthy heart may be given to an individual waiting for a heart transplant. This procedure is used when physicians determine that the deceased donor lungs will function best if they are used in conjunction with the deceased donor heart.

U.S. Living Donor Transplants Performed by Year of Transplant

The chart below shows the number of living donor transplants performed by year from January 1, 1988 - October 31, 2008.

Based on current OPTN data as reported on January 2, 2009. Data subject to change based on future data submission or correction.




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