Learn about the history of transplant

History

Scientists began experimenting with organ transplants in the 18th century. There were many failures over the years. By the 1900s, scientists began to see success.

Today, transplants are routine medical treatments. We are able to transplant many organs, including:

Kidneys
Livers
Hearts
Pancreata
Kidney-pancreas
Intestines
Lungs
Heart-lungs
Arms, faces and reproductive organs

Medical breakthroughs such as tissue typing and drugs to combat organ rejection allow for more organ transplants and a longer survival rate for recipients. The most notable breakthrough in this area was Jean Borel's discovery of Cyclosporine in the mid-1970s. The FDA approved Cyclosporine for commercial use in November 1983.

The need for organ transplants continues to exceed the supply of organs. But as medical technology improves and more donors become available, the number of people who live longer and healthier lives continues to increase each year.

First successful kidney transplant*

1954

First successful kidney-pancreas transplant

1966

First successful liver transplant*

1967

First isolated pancreas transplant

1968

First successful heart transplant

1968

First successful heart-lung transplant

1981

First successful single lung transplant*

1983

First successful double lung transplant*

1986

First successful living donor liver transplant

1989

First successful living donor lung transplant

1990

* Transplant was the first of its kind in the world.