Why is organ transplantation clinically important?

Abstract

Solid organ transplantations save lives in patients affected by terminal organ failures and improve quality of life. Organ transplantations have gradually ameliorated in the last two decades and usually provide excellent results in children and young adults, and are increasingly challenged by the growing proportion of elderly transplant patients with comorbidities. Renal transplantation increases patient survival over dialysis, and lifesaving transplants are indispensible to treat patients with liver, heart, or lung irreversible diseases. Solid organ transplant programs activity has been steadily growing but is still far from global needs, with great differences among countries. Solid organ transplantations are essential for developed and mature health care systems.

Figure 1.

Survival of incident dialysis patients and first transplant recipients between 2000 and 2004, by treatment modality, adjusted for age, gender, and primary renal disease. (From van de Luijtgardeen et al. 2012; reprinted, with permission.)