Learning About Transplants
Getting on the waiting list
Receiving a donor organ can be a long process. You'll first get an evaluation by a medical team. If they determine you are a good candidate for a transplant, you will be put on an organ donor waiting list.
To get on the waiting list, you will need to:
- Get a referral from your doctor.
- Call the transplant center where you choose to have your transplant. To find a transplant center near you, ask your doctor. Or you can contact the United Network for Organ Sharing by going online at www.transplantliving.org or calling 1-888-894-6361.
- Schedule an appointment for an evaluation at the transplant center to find out if you're a good candidate for a transplant. Your transplant center can do all of the required tests. Or your doctor may be able to order some of the tests and send the results to the center.
During your evaluation, learn as much as you can about the transplant center. Find out if the center will accept your insurance, what your options are if you don't have insurance, and if support groups are available.
The transplant center will notify you to let you know if you have been placed on the waiting list. If you have questions about your list status, contact the transplant center where you were evaluated.
It may be days, months, or even years before you receive a new organ. And some people may never get an organ. When an organ is found, your transplant team will consider whether the donor is a good match for you, the status of your current health, and how long you've been on the waiting list. Your team will also consider the location of the donated organ. That's because it must be transplanted quickly to remain in working order.
Thinking about and waiting for a transplant can affect you emotionally. You may find it helpful to see a psychiatristpsychiatrist, a psychologistpsychologist, or a licensed mental health counselorlicensed mental health counselor about your transplant.
Tests you'll need before your transplant
You will need some assessments before you have an organ transplant. The results will be used to match you with an organ donor. Assessments that are done for all organ transplant candidates include:
- A cross-match for transplant.
-
This blood test shows whether your body will immediately reject the donor organ. It will mix a donor's blood with your blood to see if your antibodies attack the antigens of the donor.
- Antibody screen.
-
A panel-reactive antibody (PRA) test measures whether you have antibodies against a broad range of people. If you do, it means that you're at higher risk of rejecting an organ, even if the cross-match shows that you and the donor are a good match.
- Blood type.
-
This blood test shows which type of blood you have. Your blood type should be compatible with the organ donor's blood type. But sometimes it's possible to transplant an organ from a donor with a different blood type.
- HLA type.
-
This blood test shows the genetic makeup of your body's cells. We inherit three different kinds of genetic markers from our mothers and three from our fathers. HLA type sometimes plays a role in matching an organ recipient to a donor.
- Mental health assessment.
-
At these visits, an evaluator looks at your emotional health, your social support, and how donation might affect you. A living donor may also be required to have this assessment before donating an organ.
What to do if you're not a good candidate for a transplant
If you are told that you are not a good candidate for organ transplant, find out if there are other treatments for your condition. Many people can live for years with serious health conditions.
The goal of your care may shift to maintaining your comfort. Talk to your loved ones about the type of care you would like to receive. Discuss their expectations as well as your wishes, care needs, and finances and the needs of your family. Your choices may change as your illness changes.
How well transplants work
Organ transplant success depends on:
- Which organ is transplanted.
- How many organs are transplanted. For example, you could have a heart transplant or a heart and lung transplant.
- The disease that has caused your organ to fail.
- Whether you have unhealthy behaviors such as smoking.
- The age of the donor organ. In general, the younger the organ donor, the healthier the tissue. But recent research is challenging this thought. It may be that some older organs work just as well as younger organs.
- The length of time that the donor organ is out of the donor's body. The more quickly an organ is transplanted after it is removed from the donor, the more likely that the transplant will succeed.
- How well the organ was preserved just before transplantation. The donor organ must be properly preserved while it is being transferred, especially if it was transferred from a long distance.
- How well you take your medicines as prescribed.
Here are the chances of being alive 5 years after having an organ transplant. These numbers are averages. Your personal chances will depend on your health, the donor organ, and other things. footnote 1footnote 1
- Heart: About 8 out of 10 people
- Intestine: About 6 out of 10 people
- Kidney: About 9 out of 10 people
- Kidney and pancreas: About 9 out of 10 people
- Liver: About 8 out of 10 people
- Lung: About 6 out of 10 people
- Pancreas: About 8 out of 10 people
Organ rejection is possible. When a new organ is placed into your body, your immune system sees it as foreign and tries to destroy it. Antirejection medicines can help prevent your immune system from attacking the donor organ.
Learn more
- Blood Type TestBlood Type Test
- Mental Health AssessmentMental Health Assessment
- Palliative CarePalliative Care
- Tissue Type TestTissue Type Test