Can transplanted organs be donated again?

Can transplanted organs be donated again?

The essential gift of organ donation is the ultimate act of “paying it forward” with the donation of healthy organs and tissues, but what if that gift didn’t have to stop at just one transplant? What if healthy transplanted organs could save more than one life? For some on the kidney and liver transplant waiting lists, that idea is becoming reality as a growing transplantation practice now allows healthy transplanted organs to be donated again.

The approach, sometimes called “regifting” an organ, was pioneered by leaders like Dr. Jeffrey Veale, director of the UCLA Kidney Exchange Program. Years ago, Dr. Veale made headlines after successfully transplanting a healthy kidney into a second patient following the first recipient’s tragic death in an auto accident.

Since then, similar procedures have continued to show promising results. In fact, case studies have documented re-transplanted kidneys functioning well even years after their first transplant — offering a second chance at life for patients who may have otherwise run out of options.

This practice is still rare, but experts estimate it could expand the viable donor pool and help hundreds of people each year.  Today, advances in organ matching, preservation technology, and surgical techniques are making re-transplantation more feasible and more successful than ever before. Dr. Veale emphasizes this potential by pointing out that up to 20–25% of kidney transplant patients die with a functioning graft, years of valuable kidney lifespan that could benefit others.

There are nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting to receive a lifesaving organ transplant, nearly 1,300 of which are in our community. Signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor is quick and easy to do by saying Yes at the driver license office or Driver Services, or anytime at Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming.