Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

Researchers experimented with organ transplantation on animals and humans in the 18th century. There were many failures over the years, but by the mid-20th century, scientists were performing successful organ transplants. Transplants of kidneys, livers, hearts, pancreata, intestine, lungs, and heart-lungs are now considered routine medical treatment.

Important medical breakthroughs such as tissue typing and immunosuppressant drugs allow for more organ transplants and a longer survival rate for recipients. The most notable development in this area was Jean Borel's discovery of an immunosuppressant drug in the mid-1970s. Cyclosporine was approved for commercial use in November 1983.

Unfortunately, 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.

1st successful kidney transplant*

Dr. Joseph E. Murray, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA

1954

First successful pancreas/kidney transplant

Drs. Richard Lillehei, William Kelly, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

1966

First successful liver transplant*

Dr. Thomas Starzl, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

1967

First isolated pancreas transplant

Dr. Richard Lillehei, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

1968

First successful heart transplant

Dr. Norman Shumway, Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA

1968

First successful heart-lung transplant

Dr. Bruce Reitz, Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA

1981

First successful single lung transplant*

Dr. Joel Cooper, Toronto Lung Transplant Group, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Canada

1983

First successful double lung transplant*

Dr. Joel Cooper, Toronto Lung Transplant Group, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Canada

1986

First successful living-related liver transplant

Dr. Christoph Broelsch, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL

1989

First successful living-related lung transplant

Dr. Vaughn A. Starnes, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA

1990

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