Why is Organ Transplantation Clinically Important

Why Organ Transplants Matter: Health, Hope & Healing

From improving health and life quality to increasing mobility, organ transplant offers incredible benefits. Organ transplantation involves a surgical process of removing a damaged organ and replacing it with a healthy organ to save life. Not only offering a second chance to live, organ transplants promote the revolution of the healthcare system.

What is an Organ Transplant?

Organ transplant is a life-saving medical treatment approach that replaces a damaged organ with a healthy organ from a donor. It involves a multidisciplinary process with advanced medical technology.

Mostly, people need transplantation due to chronic conditions that damage organs, genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis and polycystic kidney disease, and infection. According to medical news, in 2024, surgeons performed over 46,000 cases of organ transplantation. Commonly, transplant organs include lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, and pancreas.

Benefits of Organ Transplant

Organ transplantation is often the best way to save lives for those who have life-threatening injuries and diseases. For example, some non-communicable diseases like diabetes lead to kidney damage. In this case, transplantation is the best treatment option instead of dialysis for enhancing patient survival.

Here are some benefits that highlight the life-changing effects of organ transplants.

• It is a lifesaving option to treat chronic diseases and for people with the last stage of organ failure.
• Replacing damaged organs with healthy ones increases the survival rates of patients. 5-year survival rates exceed 70% for kidney/liver transplants and 85% for heart transplants.
• Transplantation of an organ alleviates symptoms, including fatigue, breathing issues, and pain, and improves overall health.
• It helps to restore organ functions so individuals can start a normal lifestyle.  
• Transplantation fosters psychological and emotional benefits, such as reducing post-transplant depressionand promoting well-being.
• Placing a healthy organ enhances mobility, such as enabling engagement in regular activities.
   

Process of Organ Transplantation and Recovery

The process of organ transplantation includes major steps:

• Step 1: Evaluating the end stage of organ failure and listing and determining eligibility for donating and receiving organs.
• Step 2: Check the availability of a suitable organ from a donor.
• Step 3: After donor identification and screening, the healthcare professional needs to obtain consent from donors.
• Step 4:Once a match is found between donor and recipient based on factors including tissue type, blood type and organ size, the recipient undergoes the transplantation.
• Step 5:Post-transplant case needed for recovery. After surgery, routine monitoring, check-ups, immunosuppressive medications, and physical therapy enhance mobility and strength.  

Risk Related with Organ Transplantation

While organ transplant offers multiple benefits, but it also come with certain risks:

• Organ Rejections: One of the most critical risks associated with organ transplants is the possibility of organ rejection. Modern immunosuppressive therapy has reduced the frequency of acute rejection, but it remains a major factor impacting long-term graft survival. This happens when the immune system of recipient’s attack the transplanted organ, mistaking it for a foreign invader.
• Surgical Complications: Like any major surgery, organ transplants also carry the risk of complications including infections, bleeding and reactions to anaesthesia.
• Side effects of immunosuppressants: Patient must take immunosuppressant medications for the rest of their lives in order to prevent organ rejection. These medications can have side effects, including weight gain, increased chances of getting certain cancers & infections.
• Long-term Medical Risks: Some organ transplantation may have long-term health risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney damage as an outcome of the surgery or the immunosuppressive therapy.

Signs and Symptoms of Organ Transplant Rejection

Organ rejection can occur at any time after the transplantation, even years later. Therefore, it is important for recipient of organ transplant to be aware of the signs and symptoms of organ rejection, which can be differ based on the organ involved:

• Liver Transplant Rejection: Symptoms may include jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain.
• Kidney Transplant Rejection: Symptoms may involve decreased urine output, high blood pressure, weight gain, nausea, swelling and fever.
• Lung Transplant Rejection: Symptoms include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
• Heart Transplant Rejection: Symptoms may include  shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the legs or abdomen, and weight gain.

Organ transplant is a life-saving and viable treatment option for people who are suffering from end-stage organ failure. It enables one to live a healthier and longer life without the pain of a damaged organ. The replacement process increases mobility and enhances mental strength, reducing depression so patients can rejoin regular activities.

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