Liver and Kidney Transplants

A 17-member surgical team specialized in organ transplantation performed 20 kidney and liver transplants in 30 days . The team saved the lives of many patients by transplanting kidneys from living donors in 2 patients and kidneys and livers from cadavers in 18 patients , almost never leaving the operating room for 14 days.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuğrul Çakır, head of the organ transplant team , stated that 13 brain deaths occurred in the intensive care unit during September, resulting in families deciding to become organ donors. In this way , a new hope was born for a total of 41 patients, 20 in the local center and 21 in neighboring provinces . Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakır emphasized that the organ transplant team is a devoted group that is always ready.

We Hope for 41 Patients in One Month

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakır said, “Organ transplant operations are carried out with great discipline, from auxiliary health personnel to surgeons. Within a month, we gave hope to 41 patients; 20 of them received liver and kidney transplants. We have successfully completed 9 liver and 11 kidney transplant operations,” he said.

Stating that in 13 cases of brain death during September, many patients were helped to hold on to life thanks to the organ donation decisions of their families, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakır said that 21 organs were delivered to centers in neighboring provinces. Stating that since there is not enough organ donation in Turkey, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakır said that they have turned to transplants from living donors and that they have successfully performed 2 kidney transplant operations from living donors last month.

Thanks to Our Team and Their Families

Pointing out that in this intense process in September, the families shared this burden as well as the devoted work of the team, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çakır said, “Together with the physicians, operating room nurses, anesthesiologists and technicians in our general surgery team, all the personnel working in the operating room rested each other and were in the operating room for 14 days. In this process, I would like to thank not only my teammates but also their families who kept up with this pace at home.”

Strong Teamwork

Nephrology specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayça İnci also emphasized the success of the team. Stating that surgery, nephrology, gastroenterology, chest and infectious diseases specialists, intensive care and auxiliary staff worked day and night with great devotion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İnci said, “We had a busy month, but we were all happy to see the results. Especially witnessing the happiness of kidney failure patients after transplantation was the reward of this challenging process.”

Acknowledgements from Patients

Patients who regained their health after the transplantation visited their doctors and expressed their gratitude. Birgül Yaşar (31) said that she was born with congenital kidney disease and had been on dialysis for 17 years, and that she returned to life with a kidney transplant from a cadaver. “It is as if I was reborn, I was on dialysis for years. Thank you to everyone,” she said.

Hasan Çağıl (53), who received a kidney from his nephew, stated that he had chronic kidney failure due to high blood pressure and was about to enter dialysis. “I was very happy when my nephew told me that he wanted to donate his kidney. I am grateful to him and the doctors who restored me to my health,” he said.