Organ Transplantation

Definition

The transfer of an organ (or part of one) from one body to another, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or failing organ with a working one from the donor. Donors can be living, or cadaveric (dead). (NCI Thesaurus)

More information

You may need an organ transplant if one of your organs has failed. This can happen because of illness or injury. When you have an organ transplant, doctors remove an organ from another person and place it in your body. The organ may come from a living donor or a donor who has died.

The organs that can be transplanted include

• Heart
• Intestine
• Kidney
• Liver
• Lung
• Pancreas

You often have to wait a long time for an organ transplant. Doctors must match donors to recipients to reduce the risk of transplant rejection. Rejection happens when your immune system attacks the new organ. If you have a transplant, you must take drugs the rest of your life to help keep your body from rejecting the new organ. (NIH)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Organ Transplant Research

Research to successfully transfer an organ from one individual to another of the same or a different species.

Organ to Heart Weight Ratio

A numeric comparison of the weight of an organ of interest to the weight of the heart.

Organ to Brain Weight Ratio

A numeric comparison of the weight of an organ of interest to the weight of the brain.

Organ to Body Weight Ratio

A numeric comparison of the weight of an organ of interest to the weight of the body.

Organ System

An anatomical structure that consists of organs and organ subclasses responsible for certain body functions. Representative examples are the gastrointestinal system,…

Organ Relationship Object

An organ relationship object describes relationships among organs. (caBIO)