President of the Turkish Society of Nephrology Prof. Dr. Alaattin Yıldız explained the reasons for Turkey's success in kidney transplant operations and gave useful information about post-transplant patient follow-up.
Within the scope of 3-9 November Organ Transplant Week, attention was drawn to the importance of organ donation once again. President of the Turkish Society of Nephrology Prof. Dr. Alaattin Yıldız and Turkish Transplantation Organizations Coordination Association President Uluğ Eldegez shared important and useful information about the organ transplant process. Seher Taş, Head of Organ Transplantation and National Coordination Center of the General Directorate of Health Services, Department of Tissue, Organ Transplantation and Dialysis Services, shared the information that a total of 31 people in Turkey are waiting for organs and tissues.
prof. Dr. Alaattin Yıldız stated that the survival of patients and kidneys in kidney transplants in Turkey is over 95 percent.
Referring to Turkey's achievements in organ transplant operations, Prof. Dr. Yıldız continued his words as follows: “Success in organ transplantation is basically evaluated in the short and long term with the life of the patient and the transplanted kidney. In kidney transplants performed in our country, short-term patient and kidney survival is over 95 percent and is quite high.”
Adding that approximately 4 kidney transplants are performed annually in Turkey, Prof. Dr. Yıldız said that we are among the top five countries in the world in terms of kidney transplantation per population.
prof. Dr. Yıldız said that the first month after kidney transplantation is very important.
The follow-up of the patient after organ transplantation is as important as the transplantation. Emphasizing that the problems encountered in the early period (first 1 month) after transplantation determine the long-term life of the kidney, Prof. Dr. Yıldız continued his words as follows: “When the early post-transplantation period is uneventful, the risk of kidney rejection attacks is much reduced, especially after completing the first year. However, immunosuppressive drugs should be used for life at lower doses regulated by a nephrologist. The most important cause of kidney loss in the long term is patients' delays in drug therapy. In addition, it is necessary to follow up in terms of side effects related to the drugs used with routine controls. For this reason, it is very important for patients not to disrupt their nephrology controls and to use their treatments regularly for long-term kidney and patient survival.”
Uluğ Eldegez, President of the Turkish Organ Transplantation Organizations Coordination Association, shared comprehensive data on organ transplants in Turkey.
The definition of cadaver is used for patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit and diagnosed with brain death. Emphasizing the importance of cadaver donation in organ transplants, Eldegez informed that there are approximately 1.500-2.000 patients diagnosed with brain death annually in Turkey. Emphasizing that these patients can be evaluated in terms of organ donation and consent can be obtained from their families, Eldegez continued his words as follows: “All solid organs (heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas) and composite tissues (face, upper and lower back) were removed from a patient with brain death except the brain. extremities…) can be taken.”
Eldegez said that 25 percent of organ transplants in Turkey are made from cadavers and made the following statement:
“Especially in family consent, certain reasons could not be excluded from prejudice. When we compare it with European countries, this ratio shows the opposite distribution. In Europe, transplants are made from 85% cadavers and 15% live ones.”
Eldegez said that he observed a decrease in organ donation.
Despite the fact that there are over 500 brain death declarations in Turkey, family consent is still around 22 percent. While this rate was around 19-26% before COVID-27, a certain decrease is observed again. Stating that there was a significant decrease in the number of donors during the pandemic process, Eldegez added that there was a decrease in the number of families giving consent due to the fear created by the epidemic.
Emphasizing that the number of donors may rise to its previous level in the coming years, Eldegez continued his words as follows: “The fact that the intensive care doctors are in constant communication with the relatives of the patients who will likely experience brain death will increase the number of family consents. For this, it is necessary to keep organ donation on the agenda, to explain its importance and to provide informative trainings on organ donation starting from secondary school. The second important issue is that people who donate organs must inform their families about this. Thus, the issue of organ donation will be evaluated within the scope of the will before the families.”
Seher Taş, Head of the Department of Tissue, Transplantation and Dialysis Services of the General Directorate of Health Services, Organ Transplantation and National Coordination Center, gave detailed information within the scope of Organ Transplant Week.
Stating that Turkey has a worldwide place in organ transplantation services, Seher Taş shared the information that the Quality Standards in Health were published, that the quality standards of organ transplantation centers were determined and that all centers across the country were aimed to provide services at the same minimum standards.
Taş shared the following data regarding the number of patients waiting for organ and tissue transplantation in our country:
“As of today in our country; Unfortunately, a total of 23 thousand 633 patients are waiting for organs and tissues, including 2 thousand 438 kidneys, 328 livers, 273 hearts, 174 pancreas, 3 lungs, 447 corneas and 2 small intestines.
Explaining how the ranking in the waiting list is made, Taş said, “The ranking is determined automatically, without any intervention, completely in the computer environment, through the parameters created in consultation with our scientific advisory commissions. The ranking criteria of each organ are different. We may have emergencies. They also have specific criteria. Every emergency case is put on the emergency list after being examined in detail by the emergency scientific advisory commissions that we can consult 7/24. The emergency case exception is our general practice of elective cases.” he said.
Transferring the information that only living donor transplantation services are offered to foreigners in Turkey, Taş said that while liver transplantation services have been provided to 62 patients from 944 countries, kidney transplantation services have been provided to 95 patients from 3 countries.
Taş stated that there is no problem of access to medicines in our country.
“There is no problem of access to the most advanced treatment options and medicines, both before and after the transplant. Organ and tissue transplantation services are in the category of health services that are within the scope of reimbursement and cannot even be charged additional fees. Our patients do not have access and payment problems for any medication or treatment. All treatments and medicines are covered by reimbursement.” Sharing his knowledge, Taş said that a special and effective system is being implemented in our country in terms of patient follow-up.
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