Defining the Field
UPMC's transplant programs are internationally renowned for their far-reaching influence on the entire field of transplantation. In 1981, transplant pioneer Thomas Starzl, MD, PhD, performed the first liver transplant in Pittsburgh. Since then, more than 12,000 transplants have been performed at UPMC Presbyterian and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, distinguishing UPMC as the largest transplant center in the world.
A large percentage of the world's transplantation surgeons and physicians have been trained at the University of Pittsburgh. In many ways, UPMC has defined the field, from surgical technique, to nursing care, to the life-long management of patients. UPMC doctors have made equally significant parallel advances in organ procurement, organ donation practices, and improvements that may allow some patients to avoid transplantation altogether.