What is Transplant (surgery)?
[[File:Podolay transplantacia srdca 1968.jpg|thumb|right|282px|<center> Transplant (surgery) (1968)</center>]] '''Transplants''' are a type of [[surgery]]. Both [[Tissue (biology)|tissues]] and [[Organ (anatomy)|organs]] can be transplanted. == Types == Types of transplants include: *[[Heart transplant]] *[[Lung transplant]] *[[Heart-lung transplant]] *[[Kidney transplant]] *[[Skin graft]] *[[Xenotransplantation]] *[[Autotransplantation]] An [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]] transplant is a kind of [[surgery]] where the person being operated on will need an [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]] replaced, and gets a healthy one from someone else, a [[Organ donation|donor]]. Usually the organ is taken from someone who is recently [[death|deceased]], except for organs like [[bone marrow]] or [[kidney]]s, which can be taken without harming the donor too much. == Risks == === Rejection === The critical problem with all transplants is transplant rejection by the host's [[immune system]]. Unless the host and donor are a very close [[genetic]] match, the host's immune system will reject the transplant. To stop this happening, [[Immunosuppressant drugs|drugs]] are used to suppress, or limit, the host's immune system. This in turn makes the host more vulnerable to various kinds of [[infection]]. To keep this problem to a minimum, transplants are only done when [[Surgery|surgeons]] are satisfied that the host and donor are a fairly close match. Tests are done to see how closely the donor's organ or tissue matches the person who needs the organ. {{med-stub}} [[Category:Surgery]] [[Category:Organs]] [[Category:Transplants| ]]