The organs that can be donated include the:
- kidneys
- liver
- heart
- lungs
- small bowel
- pancreas
A number of other body parts can also be donated (see tissue donation).
Kidneys
A kidney can provide a better quality of life to someone who has end stage renal failure (ESRF). Renal failure is where the kidneys stop working properly.
Kidney transplants give better long-term survival rates and quality of life than dialysis (where some of the kidney’s functions are artificially replaced). Kidneys that are used for transplant can come from a living person or from someone who has died.
The demand for donated kidneys is higher than for any other organ. More than 2,600 kidney transplants were carried out during 2009-10. The number of living donor kidney transplants being performed is also increasing, with 1,040 kidney donations from living donors being carried out during the same period.
See the Health A-Z topic about Kidney transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Liver
A liver transplant is often considered for people with end stage liver disease. In around 85% of cases, transplanted livers still function well a year after surgery.
In 2009-10, more than 600 liver transplants were carried out in the UK. For adults, the average waiting time for a liver transplant is around 150 days, and for children it is about 85 days.
See the Health A-Z topic about Liver transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Heart
Most heart transplants are carried out on people with severe heart failure, which is caused by coronary heart disease or cardiomyopathy (diseased heart muscles), who can no longer be helped by medication or other types of surgery. The survival rate after one year of having a heart transplant is approximately 85%.
In 2009-10, around 120 heart transplants were carried out in the UK. The average waiting time for a suitable heart to become available for transplant is around 180 days.
See the Health A-Z topic about Heart transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Lungs
Lungs can be damaged by illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis (where the lungs become clogged with thick, sticky mucus), or respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which are often the result of smoking.
Patients are considered for lung transplantation when their lung function cannot be significantly improved by medical therapy or surgery. Lung and heart-lung transplants have a 70% success rate one year after surgery.
Around 150 lung transplants are carried out in the UK each year. The average waiting time for a lung transplant is around 520 days.
See the Health A-Z topic about Lung transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Small bowel
A small bowel transplant is usually recommended if there is not enough bowel left to absorb nutrition (short bowel syndrome), and when the patient is having difficulty with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). TPN is where nutrition is given intravenously (through a vein).
Small bowel transplants are often performed at the same time as a liver and pancreas transplant. This is called a multi-visceral transplant.
Small bowel transplants are not widely available on the NHS. Only around 2,000 have been carried out worldwide to date.
Pancreas
A successful pancreas transplant is the only treatment that can restore complete insulin independence and blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes.
In 2009-10, 200 pancreas transplants were carried out in the UK. The average waiting time for a combined pancreas and kidney transplant for an adult is around 215 days.
See the Health A-Z topic about Pancreas transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Tissue donation
As well as donating organs, it is also possible to donate tissue that can be used to improve a person’s quality of life. Unlike organs, tissue can be donated up to 48 hours after the heart has stopped beating. The tissue can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, some of which may be life-threatening (see below).
The most common tissues that can be donated are:
- the cornea (the transparent layer of tissue at the front of the eye)
- bone
- skin
- heart valves
- tendons
- cartilage
It is possible to retrieve tissue from a donor up to 48 hours after a person has died. This is very useful because it allows tissue to be screened for possible infectious agents, and it enables a pool of available tissue to be established.
Corneas
Corneas can be transplanted to restore the sight of a person who has an eye condition or an eye injury. Patients who are closest in age to the donor are usually selected as recipients, wherever they live in the country.
Cornea transplants can be carried out under either a general or local anaesthetic. A total of 5,022 corneas were donated during 2009-10.
See the Health A-Z topic about Cornea transplants for more information about this type of transplant.
Heart valves
Heart valves can be used to help children who are born with heart defects. They are also used for adults with diseased or damaged valves.
Bones
Bone can be used to help improve or restore mobility. Bone grafts can also be used in a variety of orthopaedic procedures (those that involve the muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves), including joint replacements and spinal surgery.
Bone transplants can also prevent a limb from being amputated (surgically removed) in people with bone cancer.
Skin
Skin can help to save the lives of severe burns victims. A skin graft helps to reduce pain and prepares underlying tissue for later treatment. It also helps to reduce scarring. However, it can take a number of grafts to treat a severely burned patient successfully.
Tendons
Tendons are tough, flexible tissues that are found throughout the body and connect muscles to bone and cartilage. Donated tendons are usually used to reconstruct injured knees in young people, usually following sports injuries.
Cartilage
Cartilage is used to help reconstruct parts of the body following injury or during joint replacement surgery.
Common reasons for cartilage transplant include injury or wear that is caused by disease, such as osteoarthritis (a common type of arthritis that causes inflammation of the bones and joints).
