Liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, pancreas
In the Netherlands it is possible to donate organs and tissues. In most cases, organs are life-saving, while tissues in particular significantly improve the quality of life of the recipient patient. Of the 10,000 yes-registered people in the donor registry, on average one person can donate organs after death.
Organs can be donated after death (post-mortem) or while alive. In the latter case, it concerns a kidney or part of the liver. Organs suitable for transplantation are the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, pancreas and small intestine.
Liver
The most common causes of liver problems are: heredity, infection by a virus (hepatitis), come into contact with toxic substances or use drugs. Liver diseases in children can, for example, be caused by poorly constructed bile ducts or a lack of certain enzymes. Only patients who are so seriously ill that other treatment methods no longer help, are eligible for a liver transplant.
Consequences of a diseased liver
If the liver is diseased, this can have serious consequences. If the diseased liver produces too few clotting proteins, wounds will continue to bleed for longer. If he makes too little of a certain protein, fluid will accumulate in the abdomen and legs. And when the liver can no longer neutralize and remove toxic substances, a declining consciousness occurs. Sometimes with a fatal outcome.
One donor liver, two transplants
There is a severe shortage of livers, especially for children. A liver from a deceased donor is therefore also sometimes split: the largest right side of it is transplanted into an adult and the left part goes to a child.
Lungs
Patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant suffer from a serious lung disease, such as pulmonary fibrosis or emphysema. In these conditions, a unilateral lung transplant is performed. Double-sided lung transplants are performed when the organs are chronically infected, such as in ‘cystic fibrosis(cystic fibrosis).
Heart
The heart is a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. That is why it is necessary to intervene when something is wrong. Think of an operation on, for example, the heart valves or the blood vessels of the heart. Sometimes heart transplant is the only way to stay alive. Someone is eligible for a transplant if there is a very serious heart or heart muscle disease: the chance of survival without a transplant is then extremely small.
Kidneys
The kidneys purify the blood. They take care of, among other things, the processing and removal of waste products and the removal of excess fluid from our body. When the kidneys don’t work properly, the body can be poisoned. Resulting in death.
While waiting for a kidney transplant, a kidney patient can survive on dialysis treatment.
Kidney patients often have dietary and fluid restrictions and other (physical) problems with dialysis. A kidney transplant can give a less limited life. In principle, one healthy kidney can do all the work. That is why the recipient of a donor kidney always receives only one kidney per transplant.
Pancreas
The pancreas (pancreas) plays an important role in metabolism. This organ produces the hormone insulin. Insulin regulates the energy balance of the body. If no or too little insulin is made, we speak of diabetes.
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, or diabetes, can lead to kidney abnormalities. These can be so severe that kidney dialysis or kidney transplant is necessary. Since the kidneys no longer function properly due to diabetes, in most cases the pancreas is transplanted together with a kidney.
Small intestine
From the intestines, the small intestine are transplanted. The small intestine gets all the nutrients from the food. A transplant is necessary when intestinal disorders (for example, the Crohn’s disease) the small intestine is severely shortened. Instead of a few meters, less than half a meter is left.
Artificial feeding
Patients with this condition are given artificial nutrition. For some, this can eventually lead to life-threatening problems, such as: blood poisoning, liver dysfunction, growth failure (in children) and ultimately the lack of access for food through the veins. A new piece of intestine helps limit the damage. After a successful small intestine transplant, the patient is no longer dependent on artificial nutrition.
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