Frontiers In Transplantology

This book is addressed to researchers, practicing physicians, and surgeons in the field of organ transplantation, as well as the medical students, residents, and fellows. The topics covered include the religious concepts in organ transplantation, embryonic organ transplantation, tolerance, normothermic graft perfusion, pharmacogenetics of immunosuppressors, viral transmission in organ transplantation, pediatric and split-liver transplantation, portopulmonary hypertension, mechanical circulatory support, ex vivo lung perfusion, and ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

In Defying the Gods, Scott McCartney takes the reader inside the world of organ transplants, focusing on four patients at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Baylor is home to one of the top three leading transplant teams in the country - a pair of "Top Gun" cutters who have stretched the boundaries of science to save lives. Defying the Gods shows not only what goes on inside the operating room, but also details the circumstances that brought the patients and the organs to the operating table - because for every triumphant successful transplant, there is the death of the person who donated the organ. McCartney follows the four patients on this difficult journey, from the weeks or even months of anguished waiting on the list of potential recipients, to the stressful recovery period when both doctors and patients watch tensely to see if the organ will be rejected by the patient's body - which in some cases means death. McCartney also profiles the transplant surgeons, who consider themselves on the cutting edge of medicine as they constantly push back the borders of death, and explains and critiques the transplant system: Who decides who gets one of the small number of available organs, and how is that decision made? Are doctors' and hospitals' hands tied by the laws regulating the collection and allocation of organs, or do they manipulate those laws? How important is it for patients to pass what doctors call the "wallet biopsy"? What can we do to assure an adequate supply of organs in the future? Defying the Gods is the definitive account of the history, science, and ethics that make transplants possible, covering the terrible choices transplantation presents for families, themoral dilemmas facing doctors, and the ongoing debate over how best to allocate the limited organs to those who need them. It is both suspenseful and moving, addressing important medical issues on a most human level.

The replacement of a diseased liver with a healthy liver is known as liver transplantation. Liver transplantation is used as a treatment option for acute liver failure and end-stage liver disease. Orthotopic transplantation is a common and effective technique used for liver transplantation. The transplantation surgery usually takes 4 to 18 hours. The common requirements for a liver donor include good health, a blood type which is compatible with the recipient, having an age of 20-60 years, and being of similar or larger size than the recipient. Liver transplantation involves a few complications, such as infection, bleeding, possibility of blood clots, painful incision and prolonged recovery. This book brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of liver transplantation. It studies, analyzes and upholds the pillars of liver transplantation and its utmost significance in modern times. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the subject.

- Donation refusal is high in all the regions of Argentina. - The deficient operative structure is a negative reality that allows inadequate donor maintenance and organ procurement. - In more developed regions, there are a high number of organs which are not utilized. This is true for heart, liver and lungs. Small waiting lists for these organs probably reflect an inadequate economic coverage for these organ transplant activities. - There is a long waiting list for cadaveric kidney transplants, which reflect poor procurement and transplant activity. - Lack of awareness by many physicians leads to the denouncing of brain deaths. In spite of these factors, we can say that there has been a significant growth in organ procuration and transplantation in 1993, after the regionalization of the INCUCAI. Conclusions Is there a shortage of organs in Argentina? There may be. But the situation in Argentina differs from that in Europe, as we have a pool of organs which are not utilized (donation refusal, operational deficits, lack of denouncing of brain deaths). Perhaps, in the future, when we are able to make good use of all the organs submitted for transplantation, we will be able to say objectively whether the number of organs is sufficient or not. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the University of Lyon and the Merieux Foundation, especially Professors Traeger, Touraine and Dr. Dupuy for the honour of being invited to talk about the issue of organ procurement.

Aimed at the trainee surgeon and experienced transplant surgeon, this compendium on split-liver grafting contains articles written by faculty members of the first International Course on Split-Liver Transplantation. It covers the main aspects of the field and is geared towards helping surgeons select the best surgical techniques as well as identifying the pitfalls. The text features detailed instructions on the various procedures as well as an overview of the area.

This book discusses the common principles of morality and ethics derived from divinely endowed intuitive reason through the creation of al-fitr' a (nature) and human intellect (al-‘aql). Biomedical topics are presented and ethical issues related to topics such as genetic testing, assisted reproduction and organ transplantation are discussed. Whereas these natural sources are God’s special gifts to human beings, God’s revelation as given to the prophets is the supernatural source of divine guidance through which human communities have been guided at all times through history. The second part of the book concentrates on the objectives of Islamic religious practice – the maqa' sid – which include: Preservation of Faith, Preservation of Life, Preservation of Mind (intellect and reason), Preservation of Progeny (al-nasl) and Preservation of Property. Lastly, the third part of the book discusses selected topical issues, including abortion, assisted reproduction devices, genetics, organ transplantation, brain death and end-of-life aspects. For each topic, the current medical evidence is followed by a detailed discussion of the ethical issues involved.

Transplantation Immunology Edited by Fritz H. Bach, M.D., and Hugh Auchincloss, Jr., M.D. In recent years, transplantation immunology has evolved as a distinct field founded on the recognition that rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue is mediated by immune mechanisms in the host responding to antigens in the donor tissue. This book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date review of current knowledge regarding the specific immune mechanisms which can cause recipients to reject clinical transplants. The text is divided into four sections: Major and Minor Histocompatibility Antigens, Immunobiology of Graft Rejection, Clinical Transplantation, and Frontiers in Transplantation. The first two sections cover present-day understanding of the genetic controls of immunity as well as the two basic concerns of transplantation immunology, namely donor tissue antigens and the host cellular response. The third section deals with clinical aspects of transplantation, while the fourth looks toward future efforts of scientific research in this field—including advances in tolerance and xenotransplantation. A detailed appendix entitled "Molecular Biology for the Clinician" is included to help make the material accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Authored by a wide range of experts in both clinical and research fields, individual chapters cover such topics as: T cell immunity Antigen presentation Alloreactivity Pancreas and islet cell transplantation Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation Models of tolerance induction Xenotransplantation The swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) complex Transplantation Immunology is an ideal teaching text for the fundamental concepts, latest findings, and future directions in this increasingly important field. This volume will appeal to a wide range of clinicians including surgeons and primary-care physicians, as well as scientists in molecular biology and immunology.