Conor Stewart
Research expert covering health & pharmaceuticals in the UK & Europe
Get in touch with us nowWhat is the most common transplantation procedure?
Spain had the highest rate of all organ transplantations in Europe in 2021 at approximately 100 procedures per million population. The single most common procedure is a kidney transplant, of which Spain also had the highest rate in Europe in 2021. Unlike most other transplant procedures, a living donor can donate one kidney and still live a normal life with their remaining kidney. For the best chance of success, a living kidney donor should be a relative of the person in need of the organ. Indeed, this offers a greater chance of the blood group and tissue type matching. Furthermore, it has been stated that a kidney donated by a living donor has a lower chance of being rejected by the host body than from a deceased donor.Not enough organ donations to meet demand
Unfortunately, thousands of patients on the waiting list die across Europe annually despite the increasing number of procedures being carried out. For instance, over 840 patients passed away waiting for an organ in Germany in 2020, and over 400 died in the United Kingdom. In Europe, the positive point remains that the most likely means to be removed from the waiting list is to have already received a transplant. However, the odds of survival on the heart or liver waiting list are much less favorable in comparison to someone waiting for a kidney transplant. If every country moved towards an opt-out donation arrangement, it may help to reduce the increasing transplant waiting lists.
