Organ Transplantation center

Organ transplantation is a life-saving medical procedure that has transformed the lives of countless individuals worldwide. With the use of the most advanced medical technology and the precision of skilled doctors, organ transplantation is the key to change your life completely.

Turkey is known for being a powerhouse of the best medical facilities and clinics in the world, among them, Biruni Hospital stands tall as one of the most advanced hospitals with a medical team that will work day and night to deliver the results of your dreams.

What is organ transplant?

An organ transplant is a medical procedure in which a damaged or diseased organ is replaced with a healthy one from a donor. The donor can be either a living person or someone who has passed away, depending on the type of transplant.

The goal of an organ transplant is to restore normal function to the body when an organ is no longer able to perform its necessary duties, often due to illness, injury, or genetic conditions

What are the types of organ transplants?

Organ transplants include kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, and intestine transplants. Each type replaces a failing organ with a healthy one from a donor.

Kidney Transplantation

Kidney transplantation involves replacing a diseased or non-functioning kidney with a healthy one from a living or deceased donor. 

Steps and Aspects:

• Evaluation: Before the procedure, the doctor will first perform a full assessment of your condition, this will include a blood test, imaging studies and organ function evaluations.
• Donor matching: This is the most important step, finding a suitable donor will depend fully on your compatibility factors.
• Surgical procedure: The procedure involves the removal of the damaged kidney and implanting the new one that was given to you by the donor.
• Post-operative Care: After the procedure, the doctor will monitor your condition and vital signs to make sure no complications happen.

Liver transplantation

Liver transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves replacing a failing liver with a healthy one from a donor, the procedure is aimed at patients with chronic liver diseases, liver cancer or acute liver failure

Steps and Aspects:

• Evaluation: The doctor will perform all of the necessary testing to have a full idea of your condition.
• Donor Matching: According to your medical chart, the medical team will choose a suitable donor for you.
• Surgical procedure: The procedure involves removing the damaged liver with surgical precision and implanting the new one that was given to you by the donor.
• Post-operative Care: After the procedure is done, the medical team will monitor your first period of healing to check for any type of complications.

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT)

Bone marrow transplantation is a medical and surgical procedure that involves replacing a damaged or diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells. This treatment is commonly used for patients with certain types of cancers, such as leukemia or lymphoma.

Steps and aspects:

• Evaluation: A full Comprehensive assessment will be done by your doctor, this will include blood tests, imaging studies and organ function evaluations.
• Donor matching: This step includes the identification of a suitable donor through HLA typing.
• The stem sells collection: The procedure starts by harvesting stem cells from the donor or patient.
• Conditioning regimen: The doctor will administer either chemotherapy or radiation, this is done to prepare your body for the transplant procedure.
• Transplantation: The doctor will then infuse harvested stem cells into the patient's bloodstream.
• Post-operative care: This will include a full monitoring for signs of graft-versus-host disease and infection prevention.

Essential preparations before undergoing an organ transplantation

Before an organ transplant, patients undergo thorough medical evaluations, compatibility testing, and must follow specific lifestyle and medication guidelines. Mental and physical preparation is also essential.

1. Personal preparations:

Emotional readiness:

• It is highly important that you prepare yourself mentally for the procedure and the recovery process.
• Consider counseling and talking to loved ones as this will help you to manage anxiety and stress.

Lifestyle Adjustments:

• Make sure that you maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get enough rest.
• You must also quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption.

Financial and legal matters:

• Before going to the hospital, make sure that you organize your finances,this includes your insurance and out-of-pocket costs for the procedure.
• Make sure that you review all of the important legal documents such as a will, power of attorney or living will.

2. Preparations with the doctor:

Health evaluation:

• Undergo thorough medical tests, including blood work, imaging, and organ function checks.
• This helps assess your overall health and suitability for a transplant.

Organ Matching:

• Ensure compatibility between you and the donor organ through blood tests and HLA typing.
• The medical team will explain how organ matching impacts success rates.

Pre-Surgical Instructions:

• Follow instructions on fasting, medication adjustments, and any pre-surgery treatments.
• Ensure you fully understand all preparation steps to avoid complications.

The Post-operative Period: Recovery After Organ Transplantation

After organ transplantation, patients require close monitoring, strict medication adherence, and regular follow-ups to prevent rejection and support long-term recovery.

The short-term healing period.

ICU Recovery: 

• During your stay at the hospital after the procedure is done, the medical team will monitor your condition.

Pain medications:

• The doctor will prescribe all of the necessary medications to deal with the pain. 

Organ function monitoring:

• The doctors will monitor your new transplanted organ using multiple tests to ensure proper function.

Early mobility:

• Light movements are highly encouraged by your doctor as they will help your recovery. 

Nutritional support:

• It is highly recommended that you seek the help of a specialized dietitian to help you pick the most suitable diet for you.

The long-term healing period

Follow-up appointments:

• After the procedure the doctor will schedule medical appointments with you, make sure you keep up to date with them as they are highly essential for a full recovery.

Continued medication:

• This is very important, as transplanted organs can be very fragile and in danger of being rejected by your body, the specialized medication will help you achieve a smooth healing.

Monitoring for rejection:

• Alongside the medication, continued testing is as important to detect early signs of rejection

Psychosocial support:

• For this, it is highly recommended that you surround yourself with loved ones and seek professional help if needed.

Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure that requires careful preparation, skilled execution, and diligent post-operative care. By following proper guidelines and maintaining consistent care, patients can enjoy improved health and quality of life after a successful transplant.