https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/06/18/organ-transplants-make-a-turnaround-from-covid-19-decline
Organ transplant return to pre-COVID numbers
The Department of Health and Human Services issues new transplant guidance – Aim is to improve access to transplant
Teacher donates to her student’s mom; now both women help others find a donor
Resources for understanding COVID-19 and transplant
COVID -19 has had a substantial impact on the transplant community. Here are a few resources to help understand this impact and how to navigate these uncertain times.
NH woman is the first in the US to receive second face transplant
Allocating Kidneys
UNOS recently approved a new plan for allocating kidneys. For details, read here.
Despite the Pandemic, More Transplants Are Being Performed than in Past Years
Dr. Matthew Cooper, M.D., professor of surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine and Director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, shared that more transplants have been performed this year, that in past years. From January through July 31, 2020, 19,004 deceased donor transplants were performed, which is 550 more than 2019 during the same time-frame. Fortunately, MedStar was able to continue doing transplants, despite the ongoing pandemic, without compromising patient safety. Allowing thousands of lives to be saved by the second chance at life. Other transplant centers have also been performing at much higher rates. For example, Vanderbilt Transplant Center was able to perform 73 transplants in May, setting a new hospital record.
Read the full article by Dr. Cooper in UNOS Voices in Transplant: Perspectives from the donation and transplant community, in the link below.