Solid organ transplantation overview and delection criteria.

The field of solid organ transplantation has seen significant advances in surgical techniques, medical diagnosis, selection process, and pharmacotherapy over the past 6 decades. Despite these advances, however, there remains a significant imbalance between the supply of organs available for transplant and the number of patients registered on transplant waiting lists. Notably, the past decade has shown gradual increases in the number of candidates waiting for a kidney, while the number of transplants performed in the United States has declined every year for the past 3 years. The waiting list for heart transplants has been the most rapidly growing list. Fortunately, policies designed to improve procurement, screening, and distribution are helping to make transplantation more efficient and organs more accessible, allowing sicker patients to undergo transplants more quickly. This article presents an overview of the most common solid organ transplantations performed (kidney, liver, heart, and lung), along with the requirements, risks, and complications associated with them.