Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is leading the way in living-donor liver transplants in the state of Florida. In 2023, the academic health system performed five lifesaving living-donor liver transplants, the most of any hospital in the Sunshine State.
The first of these occurred in May 2023, when Derek Sanz gave his mother, Patty, the ultimate Mother’s Day gift — half of his liver. After nearly a year, mother and son report they are doing well, and express gratitude that the TGH Transplant Institute offers a living-donor option. Without it, Patty might have waited anywhere from 30 days to five years for a deceased donor’s organ. Livers are the second-most in-demand organ for transplants (behind kidneys). About 10 percent of individuals on the national transplant waiting list are waiting for a liver.
Receiving a donation from a living donor shortens a patient’s wait time and lessens the chance the liver’s condition will worsen. “Living-donor liver transplant is another avenue to save more lives of patients with liver disease in our community,” said Dr. Kiran Dhanireddy, vice president and chief of the TGH Transplant Institute and surgical director of the Comprehensive Liver Disease & Transplant Center. “The profound generosity of living donors circumvents the need for extended periods of time to gain access to lifesaving transplantation.”
With a living-donor transplantation, a healthy person volunteers a portion of their liver to someone whose liver is failing from end-stage disease or cancer. After doctors remove the donated portion, the donor’s remaining liver regrows close to its full size and capacity within a couple of months. The transplanted liver also grows, restoring normal liver function to the recipient.
There are many benefits to living-donor transplantation, and more could be performed with increased public awareness and participation. The advantages include:
- Timing: A transplant can take place quicker when a living donor is available, rather than waiting for organs from deceased donors.
- Convenience: Hospitals schedule transplants based on the recipient’s and donor’s availability.
- Better Outcomes: Research shows that recipients of organs from living donors have better outcomes than those who receive organs from deceased donors.
TGH is a top 5 transplant center by volume in the United States and is ranked one of the Nation’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in 2023-2024. The living-donor liver transplant program “is a prime example of Tampa General continuing to drive innovation to deliver world-class health care,” said TGH President and CEO John Couris. “This program opens up additional access to patients in need of a liver transplant, and has the potential to transform the lives of patients and their families in the Tampa Bay region, Florida and across the United States.” Over the past year, an increasing number of Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast patients have been referred to TGH’s expert transplant team.
Both Patty and Derek Sanz have shared their experiences to encourage others to consider a living-donor liver transplant if they have a family member in need. “It worked for us and that’s why we want to get the word out there so that many more people can be saved,” said Patty.
Founded in 1974, TGH’s transplant program continues to strive to meet the increasing demand. The TGH Transplant Institute performed 756 transplants in 2023, setting a new record for the academic health system and making TGH the No. 4 hospital in the nation for transplants by volume.
The 756 transplants performed at TGH last year represent an increase of 11% over 2022. TGH performed 459 kidney transplants in 2023 and is now ranked top 5 in the nation for kidney transplants by volume. TGH also performed 209 liver transplants in 2023, making the hospital top 5 in the nation for liver transplants by volume. The academic health system also performed heart, lung and kidney/pancreas operations.
“This is a tremendous achievement for our organization that reflects the clinical expertise of our team and their commitment to excellence and leveraging technology to drive innovation. It’s also a testament to the exceptional quality of care patients find at Tampa General Hospital,” said Couris. “As one of the top 5 centers in the nation for transplants by volume, Tampa General performs hundreds of transplants each year. More transplants lead to greater proficiency, which produces better patient outcomes.”
For more information about the TGH Transplant Institute, or to refer a patient, please call (561) 739-4TGH.
