Every February 27th is celebrated as World Organ Transplant Day. As such, a transplant consists of replacing a diseased tissue or organ with a healthy one that functions properly. It is a technique that, thanks to advances in science and technology, has evolved a lot and achieves great results in the recipients. However, without donors there is no possibility of transplantation, which is why solidarity is a fundamental aspect of organ transplantation.
Spain, an example of solidarity
The National Transplant Organization (ONT) points out that Spain has been a world leader in transplants for more than a quarter of a century. In total, more than 100,000 transplants were performed in Spain, with a rate close to 40 organ donors per million people, with about 5,000 transplants per year, which implies an average of 13/14 transplants per day.
In 2020, and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 4,425 organ transplants were performed in Spain, with a reduction of 18.8% compared to 2019, which is a success after the severe health and socio-cultural crisis generated by the effects of the virus. In 2019, a total of 5,449 transplants were recorded in Spain.
Renal transplantation, at the forefront of the most performed transplants
In 2020, a total of 4,425 organ transplants were performed in Spain. Breaking down the data, the most transplanted organ was the kidney. A total of 2,700 kidney transplants were performed. In second place, liver transplants, with 1,034; 336 lung transplants, 278 heart transplants, 73 pancreas transplants and four intestinal transplants.
In 2019, the total number of transplants in Spain was 5,449, of which there were 3,423 renal, 1,227 liver, 300 heart transplants, 419 lung, 76 pancreas and four intestinal transplants.
Worldwide, a total of 146,840 were performed in 2019. Of these, 95,479 were kidney transplants, 34,074 liver transplants, 8,311 heart transplants, 6,475 lung transplants, 2,338 pancreatic transplants, and 163 intestinal transplants.
Which hospitals stand out in organ transplantation in Spain?
Spain is a leading country in organ transplantation. In comparison with the rest of the surrounding countries, it has a much higher rate of donors. In 2020, the rate of donors per million inhabitants in Spain was 37.4, a very high figure even compared to the 2019 figures in other countries: Australia recorded 21.8, Canada 22.2, Germany 11.3, France 29.4 and the United States 36.1. Overall, the European Union average is 22.5.
The centers with the highest transplant activity in Spain were the following, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
- The hospital with the most transplants in Spain is the Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebrón.
- The hospital with the highest number of donors was the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca.
- The hospital with the highest number of brain death donors was the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias.
- The hospitals with the highest number of non-heart beating donors were the Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge and the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca.
- The hospital with the highest number of kidney transplants was Hospital Universitario de Cruces.
- The hospital with the highest number of living donor kidney transplants was Hospital Clinic.
- The hospital with the highest number of liver transplants was Hospital Universitario La Fe.
- The hospital with the most heart transplants was the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña.
- The hospital with the most lung transplants was the Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebrón.
- The hospital with the most pancreas transplants was Hospital Clinic.
- The hospital with the most transplants in pediatric patients was Hospital Universitario La Paz.
Innovations in organ transplantation
Advances in technology in recent years have been accompanied by numerous innovations in medical technology and techniques. As a result, in the field of organ and tissue transplantation, procedures that would have been unthinkable years ago have been performed. In the field of tissues, hair transplantation has become almost commonplace, but others, such as face transplantation, have only just begun.
However, in the field of organ transplantation, for example, in the midst of the pandemic, the first uterus transplant in Spain was performed at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, thanks to the “live” donation of the recipient’s own sister. Dr. Francisco Carmona and Antonio Alcaraz, members of Top Doctors, were in charge of the procedure.
At the same time, international cooperation in organ transplants is a fact. Recently, Spain and Italy have successfully performed the fourth international cross kidney transplant. In this case, it is a transplant in which a kidney is exchanged from one living patient to another. The intervention allowed one patient in Spain and another in Italy to receive a live kidney transplant, thanks to the exchange of organs from their respective donors, with whom they were incompatible. This transplant was performed at the Regional University Hospital of Malaga and at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Femelli in Rome.