Transplant services

When an organ receives a traumatic injury or a condition causes an organ to lose function, a transplant may be indicated. Your transplant team draws on expertise from many specialties to manage your care from diagnosis to aftercare. We specialize in the following types of organ transplants, including:

• Kidney transplant
• Kidney-pancreas transplant
• Liver transplant

Blood and bone marrow transplants

If you have blood cancer, you may be referred to one of our blood cancer centers for a blood and marrow or stem cell transplant. When this happens, a nurse coordinator will meet with you to answer questions and help you navigate the transplant process. Your nurse coordinator will also help you prepare for each step in the transplant process.

We offer two types of blood and bone marrow transplants:

• Autologous transplant — With this transplant, you contribute your own healthy donor cells. Your care team prepares you for the transplant by removing your diseased cells typically through chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Then, your transplant specialists insert your healthy cells via infusion.
• Allogeneic transplant — This procedure is similar to an autologous transplant except an unrelated donor gives you a blood stem cell or bone marrow donation through an infusion. Your care team ensures that the donor matches the medical criteria that fits your health needs.

We offer several methods of organ donation to increase the likelihood that you will have timely access to the organ that you need. You'll receive a transplant from a:

• Deceased donor — This is an organ transplant from a deceased person who designated themselves as an organ donor.
• Living donor — A living person donates all or part of an organ to a designated person or donates anonymously (also known as non-directed).

If a donor is found, you can expect a call from our transplant team as quickly as possible. The entire surgical procedure depends on what type of transplant is being performed but lasts approximately three to four hours. The organ transplant surgery is performed under general anesthesia. A blood and marrow transplant takes three to four hours to complete the infusion.

How does a transplant work?

If your doctors have decided that you are in need of a transplant, they will recommend you to our transplant team for an evaluation. Your evaluation will allow us to determine your eligibility for a transplant in addition to the severity of your current organ failure.

If you are eligible, you will be placed on a waiting list while we search for a donor that matches your unique criteria.

Transplant surgery costs

Transplant services — medical expenses, evaluation, surgery, hospitalization and aftercare — are usually covered by the transplant recipient's medical insurance.

It is against federal law for anyone to pay directly for living organs, but it is acceptable for a transplant recipient to cover expenses for any travel, lodging or lost wages resulting from the donation.

Postoperative care

Immediately after surgery, you will be taken to one of our intensive care units (ICUs), generally for 24-hour observation. You will then be transitioned to of our designated transplant floors for the duration of your hospitalization (usually four to five days).

Outpatient follow-up care

Your care after discharge may manage your physical recovery and connects you with emotional support options. Your options include:

• Post-transplant medications
• Support groups