Organ Transplant Statistics
Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure that has revolutionized healthcare. However, the demand for organs far exceeds the supply, leading to long waiting lists and significant mortality among patients awaiting transplantation.
Global Statistics
In 2022, the estimated number of organ transplantations worldwide was over 157 thousand. The distribution of organ transplants worldwide shows that kidney transplants are by far the most common procedure, accounting for almost two-thirds of all transplants.
Canadian Statistics
In Canada, a total of 2,936 organ transplants were performed in 2022. Of these, 80% of transplants used deceased donor organs and 20% used living donor organs. Of the organs from living donors, 52% were from related donors while 48% were from unrelated donors. The distribution of organ types transplanted was as follows:
– Kidney: 59%
– Liver: 20%
– Lung: 12%
– Heart: 5%
– Pancreas: 2%
– Combination transplants: 2%
As of December 31, 2022, a total of 3,777 Canadians were on wait-lists to receive a transplant. Of these, 59% were active on wait-lists and 41% were on hold for a short period of time. In 2022, a total of 701 Canadians were removed from the organ transplant wait-lists; of these, 39% had died while waiting.
US Statistics
In the United States, the most commonly transplanted organs are the kidney, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and intestines. On any given day, there are around 100,000 people on the active waiting list for organs. However, there were only approximately 14,000 deceased organ donors in 2021, with each providing on average 3.5 organs. The three organ types most commonly transplanted all set annual volume records in 2021:
– Kidney transplants: 24,669
– Liver transplants: 9,236
– Heart transplants: 3,817
Conclusion
Despite the life-saving potential of organ transplantation, the demand for organs continues to outstrip supply. This discrepancy underscores the importance of organ donation awareness and the need for strategies to increase organ donation rates globally..
