Transplant surgery : Specialists

What is transplant surgery?

Transplant surgery is a dramatic, race against the clock type of surgery in which an organ is removed from one body and inserted into another body. One example of this is heart transplantation.

An organ is removed from a person, placed in a special cooling container and then transported, often over long distances to a hospital containing the person waiting for this organ. Time really is of the essence as an organ will start to deteriorate once it is removed from the body. The quicker it is transplanted the better.

Organs that can be transplanted are the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver and corneas.

What is a transplant surgeon?

This highly trained professional has many years of experience in this field and performs a complex and life threatening form of surgery. Many surgeons specialise in a particular area, e.g. heart transplants.

What does a transplant surgeon do?

They not only perform a transplant but are also responsible for patient care before and after surgery. They will continue to monitor a patient’s progress for a period of time after their operation which includes guarding against the threat of organ rejection.

The most commonly performed transplants are:

• Heart
• Kidneys
• Pancreas
• Liver

Patients who require a transplant are put on a waiting list until a suitable donor organ becomes available.