UW Health Performs Over 520 Transplants, Sets Record With 67 lung Procedures
USA: UW Health reported an unprecedented year for transplantation, completing more than 520 procedures—more than all other centers in Wisconsin combined—and setting a program record with 67 lung transplants. The surge in activity extended across multiple organ types and translated into dozens of lives restored through complex surgical and postoperative care, reinforcing the health system’s role as the state’s busiest transplant center.
Liver transplantation volume climbed 23 percent, a rise administrators attribute largely to advances in organ preservation and perfusion technologies. Once a liver is procured, it can be placed on an ex vivo perfusion device that sustains viability for extended periods—commonly 10 to 15 hours—giving surgeons crucial flexibility. Those machines enable teams to coordinate longer-distance transfers, accommodate operating-room scheduling challenges, and decrease the risk that logistical delays will cost a transplant opportunity.
The program also reports that waiting times for all organ categories remain consistently shorter than national averages. kidney candidates saw a median wait of just over 13 months, roughly half the national median, reflecting both the volume of deceased-donor and living-donor activity and streamlined matching and allocation processes. Hospital officials highlighted the combination of clinical expertise, organ-care technology, and coordinated logistics as central to reducing delays and expanding access for patients across the region.
As transplant centers nationwide grapple with demand and scarce donor organs, UW Health’s experience underscores how perfusion technology and efficient procurement and transport systems can enlarge the window for successful transplantation and shorten waitlists, while preserving opportunities for both deceased-donor and living-donor pathways.
Video originally published on 2026-01-31 11:34:22
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