Organ Transplantation: Which Organs and Tissues Can Be Transplanted?

Advances in transplant medicine allow many organs and tissues to be donated and transplanted, saving and transforming lives.

Transplantable Solid Organs

• Kidneys: One or both; living donation possible (most common living donor organ).
• Liver: Can be split for two recipients; partial liver regenerates in both donor and recipient.
• Heart: For end-stage heart failure.
• Lungs: Single or double lung transplant.
• Pancreas: Often combined with kidney transplant for type 1 diabetes.
• Intestines: Small or large bowel (rare, complex).

Transplantable Tissues and Cells

• Corneas: Restore vision (most common tissue transplant).
• Skin: For severe burns and wounds.
• Bone, tendons, ligaments: Orthopedic reconstruction.
• Heart valves: For valve disease.
• Bone marrow / Hematopoietic stem cells: From bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood; treat leukemia, lymphoma, immune disorders.
• Blood vessels: Vascular grafts.

Eligibility and Matching

Transplant eligibility depends on medical urgency, compatibility (blood type, HLA matching, crossmatch), organ size, and geographic proximity. Living donors undergo rigorous medical and psychosocial evaluation.

One deceased donor can save up to 8 lives and enhance 75+ others through tissue donation.