Organ transplantation update, part II: heart and kidney.

Abstract

On December 23, 1954, Dr. Joseph Murray performed the first successful long-term human kidney transplant using a kidney from the patient’s twin brother in Boston. The success of this transplant initiated an exciting time in clinical transplantation and sparked efforts in virtually all other organs. Nearly 13 years later on December 3, 1967, on another continent, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in Cape Town, South Africa. During this same time period successful liver, pancreas, and lung transplants were also performed. The articles in the first special transplant edition of the Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine (Volume 79, Issue 2, March/April 2012) were reflective of the success and controversies in liver, intestine, and pancreas transplantation. The articles in this second special transplant edition focus on kidney and heart transplantation as well as donation and transplant immunology. During this developmental period in transplantation, surgical and medical techniques were refined with improved preservation techniques and the addition of antithymocyte globulin to the immunosuppressant regimen of prednisone and azathioprine. Despite the early success in the 1960s and early 1970s, the morbidity and mortality after transplant remained high due to the technical complexities and the lack of drugs to adequately counteract rejection of the transplanted organ. The 4 decades since these pioneering efforts have realized tremendous advancements in the field of liver transplantation, with thousands of