People in need of multi-organ transplants can find hope at UPMC.
Established in 1981, UPMC Transplant Services has performed more than 20,000 organ transplant surgeries and achieved numerous milestones, including:
- UPMC was the first center in the world to perform a successful heart-liver transplant in 1984.
- UPMC was the second center in the world to perform a successful heart-lung transplant.
- UPMC was the first center in the world to perform a heart-liver-kidney transplant in 1989.
- UPMC surgeons have performed more than 2,350 lung and heart-lung transplants.
- UPMC surgeons have performed more than 20 heart-liver transplants.
Our transplant experts collaborate across specialties to provide lifesaving transplant options to all patients who will benefit — including those who are considered high-risk and complex transplant candidates who may be unable to receive multi-organ transplants at other hospitals.
What Is Multi-Organ Transplant?
During a multi-organ transplant procedure, two or more organs are replaced with healthy donor organs. When two organs are transplanted at the same time, it is sometimes called a dual-organ transplant.
Typically, having all organs from the same donor can help lower the risk of rejection, and they are transplanted during the same surgery.
What Conditions Do We Treat?
We perform multi-organ transplants to treat many types of serious illnesses, including:
Who’s Eligible for Multi-Organ Transplant?
You may be eligible for multi-organ transplant if:
- A single-organ transplant won’t effectively treat your condition.
- A single-organ transplant can’t be performed without transplanting other organs at the same time.
- You have several organs that fail — either one after the other, or independently.
- You have a disease that affects multiple organs, such as cystic fibrosis.
What Multi-Organ Transplant Services Do We Offer?
We offer a full range of multi-organ transplant services, including:
- Heart-liver transplants.
- Heart-kidney transplants.
- Heart-liver-kidney transplants.
- Heart-lung transplants.
- Kidney-liver transplants.
- Kidney-pancreas transplants.
- Liver-small bowel-pancreas (multivisceral) transplants.
- Lung-kidney transplants.
- Lung-liver transplants.
What Can I Expect?
UPMC accepts self-referrals and physician referrals.
What happens after your doctor refers you to UPMC?
Scheduling your multi-organ transplant evaluation
Our team will schedule an appointment for your transplant evaluation. Before your appointment, our experts will review your history and prior testing to see if you might be a multi-organ transplant candidate.
At your multi-organ transplant evaluation
At your multi-organ transplant evaluation, you will meet with our medical and surgical transplant teams to discuss your disease and the short- and long-term details of transplantation. Your care team may also order tests and perform exams to learn more about your condition.
After your multi-organ transplant evaluation
A multidisciplinary group of experts will review your case and decide if a multi-organ transplant is your best option. We'll let you know our decision within several weeks of your evaluation.
If you qualify for a multi-organ transplant, we will add you to the appropriate deceased donor waiting lists or begin the search for a living donor if you need a kidney and/or liver transplant. After a compatible set of organs is found, our team will arrange your surgery at our UPMC transplant center.
What is the average wait time for a multi-organ transplant?
Wait times for multi-organ transplant vary depending on the type and availability of organs you need. Typically, the organs will come from the same donor to help lower the risk of rejection and will be transplanted during the same surgery.
Your multi-organ transplant team
Your multi-organ transplant team may include:
- Living donor coordinators — Guide living donors through all phases of the donation process. The living donor coordinator is your resource for all questions and concerns about living donation.
- Behavioral health counselors — Provide emotional and psychological support to children and families throughout the transplant process.
- Nurse practitioners — Work closely with doctors, nurses, and staff to extend the care provided by doctors. Nurse practitioners participate in the care of transplant candidates and recipients of transplants.
- Pharmacists — Transplant pharmacists assist with medication management and medication education before and after transplant.
- Registered dietitians — Our registered dietitians provide patients with nutritional support to optimize their health before and after transplant.
- Research transplant coordinators — Transplant nurses who coordinate and oversee patients who participate in research protocols for studies and clinical trials.
- Specialty physicians — Diagnose, treat, and manage health conditions and organ failure.
- Transplant coordinators — Registered nurses who provide education and guidance before and after your transplant.
- Transplant financial coordinators — Look at your insurance coverage for transplant and medications after transplant. They may also be able to make recommendations for additional coverage to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses after transplant.
- Transplant social workers — Help you review your social, financial, and support systems to make sure that your transplant can be a successful experience. They will also be available after transplant to help you get the medicines you need and address other social concerns you may have.
- Transplant surgeons — Perform transplant surgeries at UPMC.
Why Choose UPMC for Multi-Organ Transplant Care?
When you choose UPMC for multi-organ transplant care, you will receive:
- Access to experienced, board-certified specialists — For more than 40 years, UPMC has been here for patients through every step of their transplant journey — from first consultation to posttransplant care.
- Pioneering transplant care — With a strong legacy in excellence and innovation, we have achieved many milestones in the field of multi-organ transplant. Our experts have a distinguished history of pioneering transplant procedures, providing a second chance at life, and delivering outstanding transplant outcomes for many patients.
- Personalized transplant care — From thorough evaluation to world-class treatment, we provide a patient-centered approach to care throughout the entire transplant process. Your dedicated transplant team will guide and support you each step of the way.
