Types of Organ Donations

Transplantable Organs
The organs that can be donated include:

Heart

Patients with severe heart failure who cannot be helped any longer with medication and/or surgery may benefit from a heart transplant.

Liver

Patients with liver failure may benefit from a liver transplant.

Pancreas

Patients with severe diabetes or renal failure may benefit from a pancreas transplant.

Kidney

Patients with kidney failure on dialysis may benefit from a kidney transplant. Most kidney donations are from donors considered brain dead however a small percentage of kidney donations come from living donors. Usually from a family member.

Lungs

Patients whose lungs cannot function properly with medication and/or surgery may benefit from a lung transplant.

Small Bowel (Intestine)

Patients who suffer small bowel damage, either from infection or trauma, may benefit from a small bowel transplant. Damage to the small bowel will hinder a patient from absorbing enough food to survive.

next page: Organ Donor Organizations