Posted on

GLP-1 RAs Safe Months After Kidney Transplant

Loading

— Helped diabetics cut down on daily insulin dose, body weight

By Kristen Monaco

SEATTLE — Even for new kidney transplant recipients with diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) were safe and effective, a researcher reported here.

In a retrospective study, kidney transplant patients who were on insulin with or without other oral antidiabetic medications when they started a GLP-1 RA were able to significantly cut back on their total daily insulin dose requirements, said Mario Campana, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Read more in Medpage Today.

Loading
Posted on

Robotic-Assisted vs Open Kidney Transplantation: The Pros and Cons

Loading

By Natasha Persaud

A panel of 3 transplant surgeons who are urologists debated the pros and cons of an open vs robotic-assisted approach to kidney transplantation at the American Urological Association’s 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.1

Moderator Nicholas Cowan, MD, of Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, stated that the first robotic-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) was performed in 2010 in the United States, whereas open kidney transplantation (OKT) has been performed since the 1950s. Read more in Renal & Urology News.

Loading
Posted on

Rise in liver failures, transplants highlight need to curb high-risk drinking in all ages

Loading

By Katie Burba

CHICAGO — Researchers reported a 262% increase in liver transplantation for acute-on-chronic liver failure in older patients from 2005 to 2021, with alcohol-related liver disease becoming the leading cause during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Data on liver transplantation for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in adults older than 65 years are currently limited,” Joseph J. Alukal, MD, assistant clinical professor in the department of internal medicine at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine, told Healio. Read more in Healio.

Loading
Posted on

8 Simple Practices to Manage Kidney Disease Stress and Mental Health

Loading

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the constant demands of kidney disease, struggle to stay present, or manage your stress levels? If so, you’re not alone. In 2021, an estimated 57.8 million Americans lived with mental illness1, but help is available. If these struggles persist, reach out to a mental health professional and try these simple practices that may transform your life. 

So, take a deep breath, let go of your worries, and join us on this journey to a happier, healthier you. Read the full article from the National Kidney Foundation.

Loading
Posted on

Liver transplant survivor’s recovery linked to sociodemographic factors, study shows

Loading

By UT Southwestern Medical Center

The resilience and coping abilities of patients who’ve had liver transplants vary and change over time and are often linked to sociodemographic factors including income, race, and education, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings could lead to tailored interventions to optimize clinical and patient-centered outcomes among liver transplant recipients.

“When we take care of patients who have gone through this life-changing surgery, recovery really evolves over time,” said transplant hepatologist Sarah R. Lieber, M.D., M.S.C.R., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and a member of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases. Read more in Medical Xpress.

Loading
Posted on

Heart Transplant Recipient Celebrates 25th Birthday and Transplant Anniversary

Loading

In the United States alone, there are more than 100,000 people on the waiting list for an organ transplant.

By Linda Ha

Hannah Grinnan celebrated her 25th birthday and 25th heart transplant anniversary this past April, which also marked National Donate Life Month. She has dedicated her life to educating others about the miracle of organ donation and the impact it can have on those in need.

Hannah was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) while in the womb, a critical congenital birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart. Read more in ANN.

Loading
Posted on

Understanding Lung Health

Loading

A pulmonologist explains the crucial role these organs play in the body and how to keep them healthy.

By Amanda Torres

The lungs, two sponge-like structures that sit behind our ribs, are responsible for sending oxygen to our other organs in our body.

“Just like a sponge soaks up water from a spill, the lungs absorb oxygen from the air we breathe,” says Dr. Lori Shah, a pulmonologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “Our organs need that oxygen to function.” Read more in Health Matters.

Loading
Posted on

Cedars-Sinai celebrates record number of life-saving transplants

Loading

April was National Donate Life Month, and Cedars-Sinai marked the occasion by reporting a record number of life-saving organ transplants in 2022.

Together, surgeons at the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center and Smidt Heart Institute performed 583 solid organ transplants during 2022, surpassing 2021’s record of 573 transplants and establishing a new benchmark for the medical center. Read more in the Beverly Press.

Loading
Posted on

Column: Kidney Donation Registration Can Be Life-Changing

Loading

By Matthew Harmody Special to The Pilot

April is National Donate Life Month. Over 100,000 Americans are currently on the transplant waiting list, with about 90,000 awaiting a kidney.

The topic of kidney donation is near and dear to me for several reasons. First, my father developed chronic kidney disease (CKD) and eventually kidney failure at age 50, requiring dialysis.
Read the full story in The Pilot here.

Loading
Posted on

First Double-Lung Transplants in Advanced Lung Cancer

Loading

By Janet Dyer

Double lung transplant isn’t new; in fact, it’s more common than single lung transplant. But recently surgeons at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago crossed a frontier in the lung transplantation. Two patients with stage 4 lung cancer, Albert Khoury and Tannaz Ameli, are alive and well after successful double transplantation.

The concept of using the procedure in patients with advanced cancer was one of the lessons the Northwestern surgeons took away from the COVID pandemic. Read more in Managed Healthcare Executive.

Loading