Waiting for Cardiothoracic Transplantation

Abstract

Transplantation centers affiliated with the United Network for Organ Sharing, which is the national registry for solid organ transplantation, make a mark across the US landscape. Baylor University Medical Center, affiliated with the Southwest Organ Bank, which is an organ procurement organization, is 1 of these centers. Based on current data from United Network for Organ Sharing, by the end of June 1996, its current membership of 279 solid organ transplant centers includes various combinations of 166 heart transplantation programs, 97 en bloc heart and lung programs, and 96 lung programs. The number of organs acceptable for transplantation, however, is always smaller than the number of organs donated: acceptable hearts comprise approximately 50% of the total number available; acceptable lungs represent some 15% to 20% of the total number of acceptable hearts. Hence, of the more than 49,000 candidates for solid organ transplantations listed by United Network for Organ Sharing by 1995, 2361 candidates received hearts; 67, en bloc heart and lungs; and 871, lung or lungs. Furthermore, the January 1996 United Network for Organ Sharing report from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network waiting list and removal files for 1995 showed that 3448 people who were waiting for solid organ transplantation died before transplantable organs became available for them. Included among these deaths were 770 candidates waiting for hearts, 28 waiting for en bloc heart and lungs, and 342 waiting for lungs. In late 1996, the registry listed a total of 49,485 candidates waiting to undergo solid organ transplantation. These include 3706 candidates awaiting heart transplantation; 227, en bloc heart and lungs transplantation; and 2274, lung or lungs transplantation. While some of these candidates will die waiting, based on 1995 cardiothoracic transplantation data, 38% of these candidates will be transplanted.