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Health News Results - 48
Liver Transplants From Donors Who Overdosed Rose During Pandemic
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- May 23, 2022
- Full Page
Organs from donors who died of drug overdoses helped keep the number of U.S. liver transplants steady during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study finds.
"When the pandemic began, we saw no decline in liver transplants, which seemed surprising since many s...
Kidney Transplant Safe When Organ Donor Has COVID: Study
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- May 13, 2022
- Full Page
Even before the pandemic, the demand for donor kidneys far exceeded supply. That shortfall only worsened when hospitals started refusing to use kidneys fr...
Thinking of Donating a Kidney? New Data Shows It's Safe
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- April 29, 2022
- Full Page
If you're thinking about donating a kidney, new research could alleviate your concerns.
"The results of this study are extremely reassuring for individuals who are considering being living kidney donors. We found that this lifesaving surgery, when performed at experience...
Organs Donated by People Who Had COVID Are Safe: Study
- March 23, 2022
- Full Page
For those waiting during the pandemic for a new kidney or liver, new research is reassuring: Organs from deceased donors who had COVID-19 did not cause infection in recipients and posed no risk to health care workers.
In a study that began in September 2021, the Duke Uni...
Man Who Received First Pig Heart Transplant Has Died
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- March 9, 2022
- Full Page
The first person to receive a pig heart transplant in a groundbreaking procedure performed at the University of Maryland Medical Center in January has died, hospital officials said Wednesday.
David Bennett, a 57-year-old Marylander, suffered from severe heart disease and...
Scientists Create 'Universal' Donor Organs Where Blood Type Doesn't Matter
- February 17, 2022
- Full Page
It's possible to create "universal" donor organs that would eliminate the need to match transplant donor and recipient blood types, researchers report.
"With the current matching system, wait times can be considerably longer for patients who need a transplant depending o...
Doctors Transplant Gene-Modified Pig Kidneys Into Brain-Dead Patient
- Ernie Mundell
- January 20, 2022
- Full Page
In another breakthrough for animal-to-human organ transplantation, U.S. researchers say they've transplanted two genetically modified pig kidneys into a living human.
The recipient was Jim Parsons, 57, a brain-dead man on life support whose family agreed to allow the sur...
In Breakthrough Transplant, Man Receives Genetically Modified Pig Heart
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- January 11, 2022
- Full Page
In a medical first, doctors from the University of Maryland have implanted the heart of a genetically modified pig in a 57-year-old man facing the final stages of heart disease.
When Kidney Transplant Fails, Trying Again Is Best Option: Study
- Robert Preidt
- December 28, 2021
- Full Page
You were lucky enough to receive a kidney years ago, but now it is failing. Is it better to opt for another transplant or go on dialysis?
New research suggests a second transplant may be the better option.
Doctors Report That Kidney Grown in Pig Worked in a Human
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- October 20, 2021
- Full Page
A kidney grown in a genetically altered pig functioned normally after being attached to a human patient during a groundbreaking procedure performed by U.S. doctors.
If the technique proves generally successful it could revolutionize organ transplant, greatly expanding th...
AHA News: Women May Be More Willing Than Men to Donate Organs
- American Heart Association News
- September 24, 2021
- Full Page
Men and women have similar reasons for becoming -- or not becoming -- an organ donor, according to a new study. Yet women appear more willing to donate their organs to family members or strangers.
The results, published Sept. 24 in the Journal of the American Heart...
U.S. Kidney Transplant Outcomes Are Improving
- Robert Preidt
- August 24, 2021
- Full Page
Here's some hopeful news for those who have kidney transplants: Long-term survival rates have improved over the past three decades, a review shows.
"There has been a gratifying improvement in kidney transplant survival, both for patients and the kidney graft itself, from...
FDA to OK COVID Booster Shots for Vulnerable Americans
- Ernie Mundell and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
- August 12, 2021
- Full Page
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans on Thursday to authorize a third "booster" shot of coronavirus vaccine for people with weakened immune systems, as the highly contagious Delta variant surges across the country.
Expanding the emergency use of the Pfizer and Mod...
Father and Son Caught Up in Severe Blood Shortage Hitting U.S. Hospitals
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- August 5, 2021
- Full Page
As June 28 approached, David Beverley had been "psyching himself up" for major surgery, as a lifesaving liver donor for his ailing 60-year-old father, Peter.
"But then they called us, literally the day before, and told us: 'We've got to stop this. We don't have any ...
Hearts From Drug Abusers Can Be Used for Transplants
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- July 29, 2021
- Full Page
In a finding that could mean more patients desperate for a heart transplant get a new lease on life, two new studies show that hearts from donors who abused drugs can be safely donated.
In the past two decades, the U.S. opioid crisis has taken the lives of hundreds of th...
Innovative Kidney Donor 'Voucher' System Is Saving Lives
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- June 24, 2021
- Full Page
In the world of chronic kidney disease, the dilemma is not uncommon: A relatively young patient with kidney trouble may need a transplant down the road, and an older family member is more than ready to step up. But the need for a kidney transplant, while predictable, is not im...
Many 'High Priority' Patients Aren't Getting Put on Kidney Transplant Lists
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- June 18, 2021
- Full Page
Many Americans who stand to benefit most from a kidney transplant may be missing a key window of opportunity, a new study finds.
The study focused on kidney failure patients who would be expected to live many years after receiving a kidney transplant. That generally incl...
'Heart-in-a-Box' Can Be Lifesaving, Matching Up Distant Donors With Patients
- Sarah Collins HealthDay Reporter
- April 8, 2021
- Full Page
A few days after his 74th birthday, Don Stivers received his dream gift -- a new heart.
"I was born with a very lousy heart," he explained. "Growing up, I decided I was going to overcome it and go to the Olympics and be a strong boy. And so everything I did was against ...
World's First Face Transplant in a Black Patient Brought Special Challenges
- March 17, 2021
- Full Page
Robert Chelsea needed a new face, having lost most of his in a horrific Los Angeles traffic accident years ago.
But Chelsea is Black, and the process to give him the first-ever face transplant wound up posing novel challenges for his doctors, according to a new report.
Why Are Wait Times for Donor Kidneys Not Improving?
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- February 12, 2021
- Full Page
Despite widespread efforts to increase access and awareness, new research shows there's been virtually no change in the number of people on waiting lists for potentially lifesaving kidneys over the past two decades.
For their study, scientists analyzed information on mor...
'So Happy:' World's First Hand/Face Transplant Patient Doing Well
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- February 3, 2021
- Full Page
Joe DiMeo's life changed forever when he fell asleep at the wheel on U.S. Route 22 in New Jersey on July 14, 2018.
The horrific crash left him with third-degree burns on 80% of his body and a grim prognosis.
Now, more than two years later, DiMeo, 22, is the recipie...
Helmetless Bikers Ride 'Donorcycles,' Organ Transplant Experts Warn
- Alan Mozes
- December 8, 2020
- Full Page
TUESDAY, Dec. 8, 2020 (HealthDay) -- 'Donorcycles:' That what hospital trauma staff call motorcycles, since riding one without a helmet greatly raises the odds the driver will become an organ donor far too soon.
A new study out of Michigan supports the grim nickname: It...
How to Be a Living Liver Donor
- Cara Murez
- November 17, 2020
- Full Page
About one in five Americans waiting for a liver transplant dies before getting the organ. Their odds might be better if more people knew they could donate a portion of their liver in a process called living liver donation.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ...
Allowing More Gay Men to Donate Corneas Could Save Sight for Thousands: Study
- Robert Preidt
- September 29, 2020
- Full Page
U.S. and Canadian restrictions on cornea donations from gay and bisexual men prevent thousands of vision-restoring transplants and need to be changed, researchers say.
A corneal transplant can cure some forms of blindness and visual impairment. The United States bans...
COVID-19 Has Taken a Toll on Organ Donation
- Robert Preidt
- September 17, 2020
- Full Page
Transplants of organs from dead donors haven't slowed during the coronavirus pandemic, but living donor transplants remain suspended in many places, an expert says.
Dr. Fauzia Butt, a transplant surgeon at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey...
Hearts From Obese Donors Still Safe: Study
- Robert Preidt
- September 16, 2020
- Full Page
Hearts donated by severely obese donors aren't more risky for recipients than hearts from people who aren't obese, a new study indicates.
"These findings were somewhat surprising because the severely obese donors did tend to have more medical problems, such as diabet...
New Approach Allows Safe Transplant of Kidneys Tainted by Hepatitis C
- Amy Norton
- September 8, 2020
- Full Page
New hepatitis C medications are allowing people to receive a kidney transplant from a deceased donor who had the liver disease -- a strategy aimed at getting more lifesaving organs to patients languishing on waitlists.
Two new studies are highlighting the promise of ...
Life-Saving Organ Transplants Plummet During COVID-19 Crisis
- Amy Norton
- May 12, 2020
- Full Page
The coronavirus pandemic has affected all areas of medical care, and a new study finds it has delayed potentially life-saving organ transplants.
Across the United States, transplants from deceased donors dropped 51% from early March to early April, amid the COVID...
Are Doctors Discarding 'Injured' Kidneys That Might Be Used for Transplant?
- Amy Norton
- January 16, 2020
- Full Page
Many of the donor kidneys that are discarded each year in the United States could instead be effectively transplanted, a large new study suggests.
At issue are kidneys from deceased donors that are acutely injured. Right now in the United States, about 30% of tho...
Machine Could Expand Pool of Livers for Donation
- Robert Preidt
- January 14, 2020
- Full Page
Researchers report they have developed a machine that can repair injured livers and keep them alive outside the body for up to a week.
They said the machine could one day increase the number of livers available for transplant and save the lives of many people with se...
Heart Transplants From Donors With Hepatitis C May Be Safe: Study
- Robert Preidt
- January 13, 2020
- Full Page
One-year survival rates are similar for transplant patients who receive a heart from a donor with hepatitis C or one without the infectious virus, a new study finds.
The researchers suggest that using hearts from donors with hepatitis C, a viral infection of the live...
Racial Bias Seen in Heart Transplants
- Robert Preidt
- November 12, 2019
- Full Page
Racial bias among health care providers limits black Americans' odds of receiving a heart transplant, a new study finds.
Researchers asked 422 U.S. physicians, nurses and other hospital decision-makers to review the hypothetical cases of black men and white men with ...
Veteran Who Received Penis Transplant Is Doing Well One Year Later
- Amy Norton
- November 6, 2019
- Full Page
A U.S. veteran who received a total penis and scrotum transplant last year is faring better than anyone expected, his doctors say.
In March 2018, the soldier -- who was severely wounded after stepping on a bomb in Afghanistan -- underwent the world's first total peni...
Not All Transplant Centers Use Deceased-Donor Kidneys, Despite Growing Need
- Robert Preidt
- October 21, 2019
- Full Page
Many U.S. transplant centers accept less-than-ideal kidneys from deceased donors, but their willingness to use such organs varies widely.
That's the conclusion of a study that examined the use of deceased-donor kidneys at 182 transplant centers nationwide.
...
Kidney Transplants Between People With HIV Are Successful
- Steven Reinberg
- October 2, 2019
- Full Page
There's good news for people with HIV who get a kidney from a donor who also has HIV: A new study reports high five-year survival rates.
"A growing number of people with HIV have a need for kidney transplants. Unfortunately, these gifts of life are too often in short...
Could Profit Be a Factor in Kidney Transplant Decisions?
- Robert Preidt
- September 17, 2019
- Full Page
In a finding that suggests money may sometimes guide whether someone gets a new kidney, researchers report that patients at U.S. for-profit dialysis centers are less likely to receive a transplant.
"For-profit dialysis facilities have a higher profit margin when they...
Thousands of Kidneys Thrown Away by U.S. Transplant Centers
- Robert Preidt
- August 27, 2019
- Full Page
When it comes to using kidneys from deceased donors, the United States might want to follow France's example.
That's according to new research that found kidneys from older donors are much more likely to be used for transplants in France, and if more of those "lower-...
New Moms Can Save a Life By Donating Cord Blood
- Robert Preidt
- August 5, 2019
- Full Page
Pregnant women should keep in mind that donating their umbilical cord blood could save lives, a clinical cell therapy expert says.
Cord blood is the blood collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after the birth of a healthy baby, said Fabio Triolo. He is direc...
Face Transplants Improve Lives Years Later
- Robert Preidt
- May 29, 2019
- Full Page
Not so long ago, face transplants were considered futuristic medicine, but a new report shows these patients are better off years after their groundbreaking operations.
Six people who received full or partial face transplants have since had significant restoration of...
Injured Lungs Can Be Regenerated for Transplant: Study
- Robert Preidt
- May 13, 2019
- Full Page
Severely damaged lungs can be regenerated to be suitable for transplantation, researchers say.
A transplant is the only lifesaving treatment for people with end-stage lung disease, but donor organs are in short supply.
Up to 80 percent of donor lungs are re...
In a World First, Drone Delivers Kidney for Transplant
- Robert Preidt
- April 29, 2019
- Full Page
In what researchers are calling a groundbreaking achievement, an unmanned drone delivered a new kidney for a 44-year-old Baltimore woman.
On April 19, the aircraft delivered the donor kidney that was successfully transplanted by a surgical team at the University of M...
All Her Organs Were in the Wrong Place, But Rose Bentley Lived to 99
- Alan Mozes
- April 8, 2019
- Full Page
Before her recent passing at the ripe old age of 99, Rose Marie Bentley harbored a remarkable secret.
Outwardly, nothing seemed out of place or extraordinary about this longtime resident of Oregon's rural northwest.
Bentley and her husband had five children...
Lungs, Hearts Infected With Hepatitis C Still OK for Transplant
- Dennis Thompson
- April 3, 2019
- Full Page
Patients in dire need of an organ transplant can safely receive a new heart or lung from donors who have hepatitis C, a new clinical trial has shown.
By swiftly administering powerful antiviral drugs, doctors can prevent the organ recipient from contracting hepatitis...
Surgeons Perform First HIV-Positive Kidney Transplant From Living Donor
- Dennis Thompson
- March 28, 2019
- Full Page
Surgeons in Baltimore have performed the world's first kidney transplant in which both the living donor and the recipient are HIV-positive.
The success of the operation could potentially make organs more widely available to patients infected with the AIDS virus.
...
Ancestry Matters When Seeking Matched Bone Marrow Donors
- Robert Preidt
- March 27, 2019
- Full Page
The chances of finding an unrelated bone marrow donor are higher for U.S. patients of European descent than for those of non-European descent, a new study finds.
A bone marrow transplant can sometimes help people with life-threatening blood cancers by replacing the p...
Are Scientists Closer to Growing Made-to-Order Kidneys?
- Robert Preidt
- February 8, 2019
- Full Page
Scientists who used stem cells to grow functional kidneys in rats say their research could point the way to growing new kidneys for humans.
A shortage of donor kidneys means many people with kidney failure never get a transplant. In the United States alone, 95,000 pe...
Someday, a Pig's Heart Might Save a Child's Life
- Amy Norton
- January 28, 2019
- Full Page
The supply of donor organs for infants needing a heart transplant is critically low, but researchers have taken a first step toward using pig hearts to fill the need.
The concept of using animal organs to save human lives has been around for years. With donor organs ...
Race May Matter for Liver Transplant Success
- Robert Preidt
- January 15, 2019
- Full Page
Black Americans who receive a liver transplant to treat liver cancer may survive much longer if the new organ comes from a black donor, a new study suggests.
"Our data are intriguing. But our results require validation," said study author Dr. T. Clark Gamblin, chief ...