Allograft: An organ or tissue transplant taken from a donor of the same species as the recipient but not genetically identical.
Autograft: A graft of tissue taken from one part of an individual's body and transplanted to another part of the same individual.
Chimerism: The presence of two genetically distinct cell lines within one individual, often occurring in the context of organ transplantation.
Cold Ischemia Time: The period during which an organ is kept in a chilled state after being removed from the donor and before being transplanted into the recipient.
Crossmatching: A laboratory test performed before transplantation to determine if the recipient's immune system will accept the donor organ by testing for antibodies.
Deceased Donor: A person who has been declared dead and whose organs and tissues are retrieved for transplantation.
Donor Family: Family members of a deceased donor who provide consent for organ donation.
Living Donor: An individual who donates an organ or tissue while still alive, typically a kidney or a portion of the liver.
Organ Procurement Organization (OPO): A federally designated organization responsible for coordinating the procurement of organs for transplantation.
Organ Rejection: The immune system's response to a transplanted organ, which can result in damage or failure of the organ.
Immunosuppression: The process of inhibiting the immune response to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, usually through medication.
Maintenance Therapy: Ongoing medication prescribed to transplant recipients to prevent organ rejection.
Neurogenic Shock: A state of low blood pressure due to loss of sympathetic tone, which can occur in brain-dead donors and affects organ viability.
Pre-Transplant Evaluation: A series of tests and assessments performed on a potential transplant recipient to determine their eligibility and readiness for transplantation.
Re-transplantation: The procedure of transplanting an organ again into a recipient who has already undergone a transplant, typically due to organ failure.
Transplantation Immunology: The study of the immune response related to organ transplantation, including the mechanisms of rejection and tolerance.
Transplant Tolerance: A state in which the recipient’s immune system accepts the transplanted organ without the need for long-term immunosuppression.
Waitlist: The registry of patients awaiting organ transplantation, organized by medical urgency and compatibility factors.
Xenograft: A transplant of organ or tissue from a different species (e.g., pig to human).
Transplant Coordination: The process involving multiple healthcare professionals to facilitate the organ donation and transplantation process, including donor identification, organ recovery, and recipient matching.
Hyperacute Rejection: A type of rejection that occurs immediately after transplantation due to pre-existing antibodies against the donor organ.
Acute Rejection: A common type of organ rejection that typically occurs days to months after transplantation, characterized by inflammation and cellular damage.
Chronic Rejection: A gradual and progressive decline in organ function that occurs over months to years, often leading to eventual graft loss.
Transplantation Ethics: The moral principles and guidelines that govern the practice of organ transplantation, including donor consent, allocation fairness, and recipient eligibility.
Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A procedure where a living donor donates a portion of their liver to a recipient, which can regenerate over time.
Additional Terms
Compatibility: Refers to the matching of donor and recipient tissues, especially regarding blood type and HLA antigens.
Serology: The study of blood serum and its components, often used in organ transplantation to assess compatibility.
Transplant Registry: A database that maintains records of transplant recipients and donors to ensure better matching and allocation of organs.