Transplantation
Humans have long realized the possibilities which transplantation of organs and tissue provides.
In the 6th Century BC Indian surgeons described how to reconstruct facial wounds by transplanting
skin from one place on the body to the other. During the middle age there were many references
in historical medical literature of attempted blood transfusions as well as the transplantation of
teeth. A skin transplant and a corneal transplant were reported in medical journals dating as far
back as 1880. These early attempts were usually unsuccessful. Early in the twentieth century
transplantation started to offer the promise of restored health and life.
One of the exceptional medical advances of the twentieth century, organ transplantation has
become a routine treatment for patients with organ failure which was a goal.
I believe that now transplantation can rightly be considered one of the greatest achievements in
history of medicine. It has overcome major technical limitations to become the success it is today.
The results of organ transplantation continue to improve, both as a consequence of the innovations
and the improvements in perioperative and postoperative management.
Transplantation can save people from death, give them a chance to live a full life and improve its
quality, but unfortunately, there are also downsides.
One challenge that has remained from the outset is to overcome the shortage of suitable donor
organs. Unfortunately, the need for organ donors is much greater than the number of people who
actually donate.
You often have to wait a long time for an organ transplant. Doctors must match donors to recipients
to reduce the risk of transplant rejection. Then, if you have a transplant, you must take drugs the
rest of your life to help keep your body from rejecting the new organ. Also, we should keep in
mind the risks durings surgery and the side-effects.
But, whether to do a transplantation or not is the decision of everyone who faces it.