Organ transplant is a life-saving process for many patients. Turkey is ranked third in the world in organ transplant centers, and organ transplants in Turkey have emerged recently at the hands of the best surgeons and doctors.
Many people know that Turkey has recently become one of the leading countries in organ transplantation, and Ankara/Istanbul is one of the most important centers of organ transplantation in Turkey and the world.
Follow us in this article to learn more about organ transplants in Turkey and Turkey’s history in this field.
Introduction to organ transplant in Turkey
Organ transplant in Turkey occupies an important space in medical development by innovating many methods and adding them to the global medical community.
This continuous development indicates the success of health policies pursued by successive governments, and it has also been reflected in the country’s position in this sector at the global level.
The Turkish Mediterranean University Organ Transplantation Center (Akdeniz University Hospital) in the state of Antalya (southern Turkey) is one of the most prominent and important centers in Turkey and the world in this field.
The Medical Park Center is also considered one of the best international centers for organ transplants and has achieved the rank of excellence in this field.
Benefits of organ transplant
An organ transplant is a medical procedure in which a healthy organ is transplanted into another person’s body to replace an organ that is diseased or not working properly. It is considered a vital and complex procedure that can provide many benefits in certain cases.
History of organ transplant in Turkey
Organ transplant studies continue in our country, albeit late compared to the Western world, even though there are many studies by our doctors who live abroad or for educational purposes in world-famous organ transplant centers.
Transplantation is not just a medical or technical issue
Success in transplantation is not only related to the development of that country in the field of medicine but also related to the legal aspect, the ethical and technological infrastructure, and religious and social factors.
Two heart transplant attempts in our country in Turkey in 1969, just three years after Dr. Bernard performed the first successful heart transplant, attracted global attention in 1967.
When talking about organ transplantation in Turkey, we must talk about Dr. Mehmet Habral and his team.
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He performed the first organ transplant in Turkey after animal experiments in the 1970s, when he performed a kidney transplant from a mother to her 12-year-old son in November 1975 at Hacettepe University Hospital.
The same team also performed a living donor liver transplant in 1990.
After the first successful organ transplantation in our country, the legal infrastructure for organ transplantation was prepared with the “Organ and Tissue Transplantation Law.
The heart and lung were transferred from a five-year-old girl who was clinically dead as a result of a gunshot wound to a 9-year-old girl with a major vessel transposition, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary hypertension.
The patient was discharged the second month after surgery and lived for nine months.
The first lung transplantation took place at Surreyapaşa Hospital in Istanbul in March 2009, where a single lung transplantation (on the left side) was performed for the first time in a 34-year-old male patient with a terminal stage due to silica accumulation, and the postoperative period passed without any complications.
She was reported to be still alive in 2011.
The Turkish Statistical Agency reported in the 2011 Statistical Yearbook that 3,336 organ transplants, including 2,495 kidney transplants, 697 liver transplants, and 87 heart transplants, were performed in our country in 2010 alone.
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Organ transplant in Turkey today
Regarding liver transplantation, Turkey today ranks third in the world in terms of the probability of successful transplantation. The success rate ranges between 85% and 90%, while the success rate globally is approximately 83%.
There are 43 liver transplant centers in Turkey.
In 2019, 1,776 liver transplant operations were performed around Turkey.
Today, there are 77 kidney transplant centers in Turkey, many of which perform endoscopic or robotic implantations.
In 2019, 3,861 kidney transplant operations were performed, and Turkey’s success rate is about 98.5.
There are also 14 heart transplant centers in Turkey, which have performed at least 80 transplants annually since 2014.
While 1-year survival with medical therapy for patients with terminal acute heart failure is only about 40%, 1-year survival after heart transplantation exceeds 90%, and 5-year survival exceeds 70%. % in Turkey.
There are 5 lung transplant centers in Turkey. At least 30 lung transplants have been performed in Turkey annually since 2015, some of which were accompanied by heart transplants, including the most modern artificial heart transplants in the world.
In Turkey, approximately 1,500 bone marrows are transferred annually to blood patients.
There were also 4 pancreas transplants and 4 small intestine transplants in Turkey in 2019.
The first uterine transfer in the world occurred in Turkey, after which uterine transfer operations began in America and Europe.
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Turkey was also a pioneer in the field of plastic surgery, including facial transplantation, as it performs 2 to 3 facial transplantations annually.
61 bone marrow transplant units are registered in Turkey, and the annual number of transplants has reached 3,000.
Success rates are generally consistent with European and American data and vary according to the type of transplant (self or stranger) and the patient for whom it is transplanted.
On our website, you can read more about liver donation and transplantation in Turkey.
Why do I choose organ transplants in Turkey?
Bimaristan Medical Center remains your first choice for organ transplantation in Turkey.
We direct you to the best expert specialists in organ transplants and break the language barrier. Arab specialist doctors will help you communicate with your doctor. We also help you book appointments in Turkey’s most important and modern hospitals.
We provide our services throughout Turkey.
We accompany you step by step towards recovery.
Free consultations around the clock.
Do not hesitate to contact us at Bimaristan Family Center in Turkey.
Is organ transplant halal or haram?
According to the Islam Web website, religious authorities believe that organ transplantation can be permissible if some conditions and requirements are met, such as:
- Donor consent: The donor must be sane and capable of making a decision and provide his free and absolute consent to donate his organ.
- Real benefit: The patient receiving the transplanted organ must receive a real and tangible benefit, and the need and expected benefits are carefully evaluated.
- Non-physical harm: The organ transplant procedure must not cause significant physical harm to the donor.
- Necessity and exception: Some scholars believe that organ transplantation can be considered an exception in certain cases that threaten a person’s life, and there is an urgent need for an organ transplant.
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What organs can be transplanted?
- Kidney
- Liver
- Lungs
- Pancreas
- Intestine
- Thymus gland
- Strings
Risks of organ transplant
Organ transplant is a complex medical procedure that comes with risks and challenges. Among the common risks of organ transplantation, we can mention:
Body rejection of the transplanted organ: Rejection of the transplanted organ by the body’s immune system is one of the most important challenges. To reduce the chance of rejection, the patient needs to take anti-rejection immunosuppressive medications throughout his life.
Infection: Since organ transplantation involves a surgical procedure that opens the body to the outside environment, it may increase the risk of infection, either at the surgical site itself or elsewhere in the body.
The best organ transplant hospitals in Turkey
Turkey has many hospitals specializing in organ transplantation and providing high-quality health care. Among the prestigious hospitals in Turkey for organ transplantation, we can mention:
Bimaristan Hospital: Bimaristan Hospital in Turkey is considered one of the most prominent hospitals. It provides high-level organ transplant services, a specialized medical team, and modern surgery and post-operative care equipment.
What comes after organ transplantation?
After an organ transplant, several important aspects must be taken into consideration to ensure the success of the operation and improve the chances of healing and recovery. Here are some important points for the post-organ transplantation phase:
- Continuing medical care: After the operation, the patient will require continuous medical care. He must follow up with frequent visits to specialist doctors and perform the necessary tests to monitor the health of the transplanted organ and ensure that rejection or other complications do not occur.
- Immunomodulatory medications: Medical recommendations recommend that the patient take anti-rejection immunomodulatory medications regularly. These medications aim to reduce the chance of the body’s immune system rejecting the transplanted organ.
- Good Nutrition: After the transplant, the patient must maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Eating foods rich in nutrients, vitamins, and proteins helps promote healing and enhance the health of the transplanted organ.
- Activity and movement: The medical team directed the patient to maintain appropriate physical activity and walk regularly after the operation. Physical activity can help improve strength, overall fitness, and recovery.
- Psychological support: After an organ transplant, the patient can face psychological and emotional challenges. It is recommended to seek psychological support through friends and family or counseling with a psychologist. Psychological support can help deal with the psychological changes and stress associated with the operation.
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