While over 100,000 kidneys are transplanted worldwide each year, giving life to countless individuals, a sobering global shortage means millions wait in hope and seventeen people die each day in the U.S. alone.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, approximately 150,000 organ transplants are performed annually, with kidneys accounting for 75% of them.
- In 2022, the World Health Organization reported over 153,000 solid organ transplants worldwide.
- Asia performs about 40% of the world's kidney transplants, totaling over 60,000 per year.
- In the US, 46,632 organ transplants were performed in 2023, a record high.
- US kidney transplants numbered 27,000 in 2023.
- Liver transplants in US reached 10,102 in 2023.
- Kidney is the most transplanted organ globally, with over 100,000 procedures annually.
- Liver transplants number around 35,000 worldwide each year.
- Heart transplants total approximately 5,500 globally per year.
- US kidney waiting list has 82,000 candidates as of 2024.
- Global kidney waitlists exceed 2.5 million patients.
- US liver waiting list peaks at 11,000 patients.
- Kidney transplant 1-year patient survival is 97%.
- Liver transplant 1-year survival rate 92% in US.
- Heart transplant 1-year survival 91%, 5-year 75%.
Global organ transplants save lives but severe shortages cause waiting list deaths daily.
Global Overview
- Globally, approximately 150,000 organ transplants are performed annually, with kidneys accounting for 75% of them.
- In 2022, the World Health Organization reported over 153,000 solid organ transplants worldwide.
- Asia performs about 40% of the world's kidney transplants, totaling over 60,000 per year.
- Europe conducted 37,000 kidney transplants in 2021, representing 25% of global total.
- Living donor transplants make up 40% of all global organ transplants.
- Deceased donor organs saved over 1 million lives globally since 1980.
- Only 10% of global population has access to regulated transplant systems.
- China performed 20,000 transplants in 2022, mostly kidneys and livers.
- India's transplant rate is 0.65 per million population annually.
- Brazil leads Latin America with 9,000 transplants yearly.
- Global organ shortage results in 17 deaths per day per million population waiting.
- Iran has a unique paid kidney donor system with 1,500 transplants yearly.
- Saudi Arabia's transplant rate is 15 per million for kidneys.
- Australia's deceased donor rate is 22.7 per million population.
- South Korea performs 3,000 kidney transplants annually.
- Mexico's living donor kidney transplants rose 20% from 2019-2022.
- Egypt has over 1,000 living donor transplants per year.
- Global pancreas transplants number around 1,500 annually.
- Heart transplants worldwide total about 6,000 per year.
- Lung transplants globally reach 4,500 yearly.
- Liver transplants worldwide exceed 30,000 annually.
- Global kidney transplant waiting lists exceed 2 million people.
- 90% of countries lack national transplant laws.
- Paired kidney exchange programs operate in 20+ countries.
- Xenotransplantation research advanced with 5 pig-to-human trials globally by 2023.
- Global organ trafficking affects 10% of transplants in unregulated markets.
- Spain leads world with 48 donors per million population.
- Croatia's donor rate increased 300% since 2009.
- Portugal's opt-out system boosted donations by 25%.
- UK's living donor transplants total 1,000 kidneys yearly.
Global Overview Interpretation
While kidneys lead the life-saving charge at a staggering 75% of all transplants, the sobering reality is that this global medical triumph is still only accessible to a privileged fraction of humanity, leaving millions to wait on a list where 17 people die each day for every million hoping for a miracle.
Organ Specific
- Kidney is the most transplanted organ globally, with over 100,000 procedures annually.
- Liver transplants number around 35,000 worldwide each year.
- Heart transplants total approximately 5,500 globally per year.
- Lung transplants worldwide reach about 4,000 annually.
- Pancreas transplants globally are around 1,200 per year.
- Cornea transplants exceed 185,000 globally annually.
- Skin allografts from donors cover 200,000 sq meters yearly worldwide.
- Bone transplants utilize 1 million grafts per year globally.
- Heart valves from donors implanted in 50,000 patients yearly.
- Kidneys from living donors last 15-20 years on average.
- Deceased donor kidneys survive 10-15 years typically.
- Liver grafts from deceased donors function 70% at 5 years.
- Split liver transplants double pediatric recipients.
- DCD livers have 10% higher early failure rate.
- Heart transplant grafts survive 85% at 1 year.
- Single lung transplants 80% survival at 1 year.
- Double lung transplants have 75% 5-year survival.
- Pancreas after kidney (PAK) 90% pancreas survival at 1 year.
- Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) 95% 1-year survival.
- Uterus transplants successful in 90% of cases by 2023.
- Face transplants total 46 worldwide with 90% flap survival.
- Hand transplants achieve 95% vessel patency.
- Kidney HLA matching improves 10-year graft survival by 20%.
- ABO incompatible kidney transplants have 90% 5-year success.
- Living donor liver right lobe provides 60% graft volume.
- Dominos liver transplants from NHBD donors chain multiple recipients.
- En bloc kidney transplants from pediatric donors yield 95% function.
- Islet cell transplants restore insulin independence in 70% at 1 year.
- Bioartificial livers treat 50% of acute failures temporarily.
- Kidney paired donation matches 30% of incompatible pairs.
Organ Specific Interpretation
Even with our bodies failing in unique and tragic ways, it's heartening to see that medicine has responded with a wildly diverse, often brilliant, and deeply collaborative playbook of spare parts and second chances.
Outcomes
- Kidney transplant 1-year patient survival is 97%.
- Liver transplant 1-year survival rate 92% in US.
- Heart transplant 1-year survival 91%, 5-year 75%.
- Lung transplant 1-year survival 85%, 5-year 55%.
- Kidney graft half-life from living donor 15.3 years.
- Deceased donor kidney half-life 10.5 years.
- Liver graft 5-year survival 75% globally.
- Pediatric heart transplant 1-year survival 95%.
- Re-transplant success 85% for second kidney.
- Immunosuppression rejection rate <10% first year.
- CMV infection post-transplant affects 20-60%.
- PTLD cancer risk 1-2% post solid organ transplant.
- BK virus nephropathy recurs in 10% grafts.
- Quality of life post-kidney transplant 80% report improvement.
- 5-year survival post-heart transplant 70% for >65 age.
- Lung transplant median survival 6.7 years.
- SPK transplant restores normoglycemia in 90% at 1 year.
- Acute rejection episodes 15% in first year kidney.
- Chronic allograft nephropathy causes 30% late failures.
- mTOR inhibitors reduce skin cancer risk 50% post-transplant.
- Belatacept regimens improve 7-year graft survival 10%.
- DAPTACELL trial shows 98% tolerance induction.
- Xenograft pig kidney survived 2 months in human 2024.
- Cardiac allograft vasculopathy affects 50% at 10 years.
- BOS in lung transplants grade 3 in 30% by 5 years.
- Recurrent disease post-liver 20% for PSC.
- Graft vs host absent in solid organ 99%.
- Return to work post-transplant 60% within 1 year.
- Pregnancy success post-kidney 70% live births.
- 1-year survival post-transplant exceeds dialysis by 50%.
Outcomes Interpretation
While survival rates for kidney and liver transplants offer a reassuringly high bar, with kidneys boasting a 97% one-year survival, the data for lungs and hearts reveal a more arduous journey ahead, reminding us that each triumph in transplant medicine is hard-won and built on managing a complex landscape of risks, from rejection to infection.
US Statistics
- In the US, 46,632 organ transplants were performed in 2023, a record high.
- US kidney transplants numbered 27,000 in 2023.
- Liver transplants in US reached 10,102 in 2023.
- US heart transplants totaled 3,501 in 2023.
- Lung transplants in US were 2,828 in 2023.
- Over 103,000 people await transplants on US list as of 2024.
- 17 people die daily waiting for US transplants.
- US deceased donors provided 40,705 organs in 2023.
- Living donors in US numbered 6,418 in 2023.
- Kidney waiting list in US has 85,000 patients.
- 95% of US adults support organ donation.
- US pediatric transplants total 1,800 yearly.
- Black Americans comprise 30% of US kidney waiting list.
- Women receive 60% of US kidney transplants.
- Average US kidney wait time is 3-5 years.
- US pancreas transplants numbered 143 in 2023.
- Intestines transplants in US total 150 annually.
- US multi-organ transplants reached 500 in 2023.
- Donor Referral Index in US OPOs averages 4.2.
- US airports screened 1 million donor referrals in 2023.
- Medicare covers 80% of US transplant costs.
- Average kidney transplant cost in US is $442,500.
- Liver transplant average cost $878,400 in US.
- 40 US states have opt-out donation laws proposed.
- Kidney transplants from 65+ donors rose 50% since 2015.
- US Hispanic waiting list patients up 20% in 5 years.
- Recovery from DCD donors increased 15% in US.
- US vascularized composite allografts total 10 yearly.
- Kidney paired donation chains averaged 30 donors each in 2023.
- US transplant centers number 250 for kidneys.
- ABO-incompatible transplants in US rose to 500 yearly.
- Kidney alone transplants dominate US at 58% of total.
- In 2023, 90,413 new patients added to US waiting list.
- Kidney transplants constitute 83% of US living donor gifts.
US Statistics Interpretation
Despite the inspiring, record-setting pace of transplants, the grim math reveals a heartbreaking race where the finish line for over 100,000 waiting patients keeps moving further away as 17 people perish each day.
Waiting Lists
- US kidney waiting list has 82,000 candidates as of 2024.
- Global kidney waitlists exceed 2.5 million patients.
- US liver waiting list peaks at 11,000 patients.
- Heart waitlist in US averages 3,200 candidates yearly.
- Lung waiting list in US has 1,500 active listings.
- Pancreas waitlist candidates number 1,000 in US.
- 40,000 new US waitlist additions in 2023.
- Median kidney wait time US is 4.8 years for adults.
- Pediatric kidney wait 1.5 years median US.
- Blood type O patients wait 2x longer for kidneys.
- 15% of US waitlist patients inactive status.
- Europe kidney waitlist totals 60,000 across Eurotransplant.
- UK kidney waitlist has 7,500 patients.
- Australia kidney waitlist 1,500 active.
- 20% waitlist mortality for US liver patients.
- Heart waitlist removal rate 25% due to death.
- Lung allocation score prioritizes 50% highest urgency.
- Kidney allocation uses KDPI score for 85% matches.
- Multi-listing allowed in 10% US cases.
- Exception requests approved for 70% pediatric cases.
- Regional variances show 2x wait times East vs West US.
- 35,000 US patients removed from waitlist yearly.
- Too sick to transplant removes 10% annually.
- Living donor chains reduce waitlist by 5% yearly.
- Global disparity: 1 transplant per 10 waitlisted in low-income countries.
- US waitlist growth 2% annually despite record transplants.
- Kidney waitlist 80% of total US list.
- Liver MELD score >30 has 36% 3-month mortality on waitlist.
Waiting Lists Interpretation
We've built a global traffic jam of life-saving organs, where the queue is so long and slow that 20% of those waiting for a liver and 25% waiting for a heart will be forced to exit it by dying.
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