Duke Transplant Surgeons Have Performed More Than 10,000 Organ Transplants
In June 2022, Duke Transplant Center joined an elite group of U.S. transplant centers that have performed more than 10,000 organ transplants, according to the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network. Duke credits this achievement to research and innovation that has expanded access and shortened wait times for people who need organ transplants.
Shorter Wait Times
Our transplant programs are known for their short wait times. For instance, the median wait time on our lung transplant list is about 15 days, compared with 64 days nationwide. We pride ourselves on being resourceful and using as many high-quality donor organs as possible. That means you may get a transplant much faster than you would elsewhere.
Expanded Donor Pools
We use the latest advances in transplant medicine to expand the pool of available organs, including aggressive organ recovery efforts and innovative organ preservation strategies. For example, Duke is one of a few centers in the U.S. using a process known as Donation after Cardiac Death for heart transplants. When used with a device that keeps the heart beating and viable, this advance may expand the heart donor pool by up to 30%.
High-Risk Candidates
We often accept people seeking an organ transplant who may be older, at higher-than-average risk, need multiple organ transplants, or have difficult-to-match antibodies. If you’ve been turned down by another transplant program, we may be able to help.