Welcome to the patient information area for organ transplantation
Here you'll find guidance and advice to help you decide if a transplant is the right treatment for you
Kidney
The kidney is the most commonly transplanted organ.
Lung
There are three types of lung transplant: single, double or heart-lung transplants.
Heart
The first heart transplant programme in the UK began in 1979.
Liver
Survival rates for liver transplants are higher than ever.
Pancreas
A pancreas transplant lets people with diabetes be free from insulin injections.
Small bowel
Small bowel transplants are used to treat irreversible intestinal failure.
About this website
This website has been put together by NHS Blood and Transplant, the organisation that oversees organ donation and transplantation in the UK. The aim of the website is to provide guidance and information on organ transplantation in the UK, to help adult patients gain a greater understanding of the process and make better informed choices. However, every situation is unique and the information cannot cover every possible question you have. It's important to note that this information does not replace a detailed discussion between patients and their doctors and nurses.
This website covers the six main organ transplant groups - heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, small bowel and liver.
There are some areas of organ transplantation that are not yet covered by this website. These include rare or very specialised transplants, such an organ transplants in children aged 18 years or younger, other types of transplant (e.g. islet, corneal, hepatocyte or uterine), some combined transplants, and emergency transplants where the patient is unable to consent to treatment.
The website has been developed in partnership with the British Transplantation Society and transplant patient groups. It is not designed for patients outside the UK as the process differs between countries.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the British Transplantation Society (BTS) update these pages regularly to reflect current UK organ donation and transplantation policies and practice. However, this website is not designed to replace discussions with the transplant teams caring for you. Your transplant team know you and your medical condition best and can give you more detailed information to inform and support your decisions. NHSBT and the BTS do not accept any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused to any persons as a result of any reliance placed upon, or decisions made as a result of, information given on this website.