Organ Transplant

The surgical procedure of replacing a diseased or failing organ with a healthy organ from a living or deceased donor.

 

Donor:

An individual providing a healthy organ or tissue for transplantation to a recipient in need.

 

Recipient:

The individual receiving an organ or tissue transplant to replace a malfunctioning or damaged organ.

 

Transplantation Team:

A multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals involved in the entire transplant process, including surgeons, nurses, transplant coordinators, and social workers.

 

Living Donor:

A person who donates an organ or part of an organ while still alive, commonly practiced for kidneys, liver lobes, and lung lobes.

 

Deceased Donor:

An individual who has died, and their organs are donated for transplantation.

 

Immunosuppression:

Medications given to transplant recipients to suppress the immune system and prevent organ rejection.

 

Graft Rejection:

The body’s immune system attacking and attempting to eliminate a transplanted organ, leading to potential organ failure.

 

HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen):

A system of proteins on the surface of cells that plays a crucial role in immune response and matching donors with recipients for organ transplantation.

 

Crossmatch:

A test performed to ensure compatibility between the donor’s organ and the recipient’s immune system, reducing the risk of rejection.

 

Organ Procurement Organization (OPO):

An entity responsible for the identification, evaluation, and retrieval of organs from deceased donors for transplantation.

 

Cold Ischemia Time:

The period during which an organ is preserved and transported in a cold solution after retrieval and before transplantation to the recipient.

 

Warm Ischemia Time:

The duration between the removal of an organ from the donor and its reperfusion (restoration of blood flow) in the recipient during transplantation.