Paula Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital significantly improves the quality of life of a seriously ill person every year by performing transplant operations – in 2023, a total of 78 such operations were performed at the hospital, while in the first three months of 2024 – 10 operations. However, the availability of organs and tissues significantly affects the possibility of transplantation.
On April 2, 2024, there are 128 patients on the transplant waiting list who urgently need a transplant operation.
Paula Stradins Clinical University Hospital
Every citizen can make their choice about tissue and/or organ donation in the national E-health system.
Transplantation is an operation during which donor tissues or organs are transplanted into the body of a chronically seriously ill person – the recipient – in order to restore the function of the relevant organ. In 2023, a total of 78 life-saving and quality-of-life-improving transplant operations were performed at Stradins Hospital – three heart transplant operations, 49 kidney patients received a new organ, one liver transplant operation was performed, and 25 patients were given the opportunity to improve their eyesight.
In the first three months of this year, 10 transplant operations took place at Stradins Hospital – until April 2, 2024, one heart transplant operation, four kidney transplant operations, one liver transplant operation and four cornea transplants were performed.
The availability of donor organs in Latvia is critically low – a special waiting list has been created, which includes those patients who urgently need a transplant operation. A total of 128 patients are currently waiting on this list – 13 people are waiting for a heart transplant, 76 people are waiting for a kidney transplant, seven people are waiting for a liver transplant and 31 people are waiting for a cornea transplant.
Professor Eva Strīķe, chief physician of Stradiņa hospital, states: “Transplantation is one of the most advanced fields of medicine, which gives an opportunity to restore health and live a full life for those who would otherwise have no chance. Every year, our ability to more precisely match donor organs to recipients improves thanks to the development of various processes and technologies. Our knowledge of the immune system has led to the development of effective therapies that improve the length and quality of life of organ donor recipients. However, despite these technological advances, the key to the success of a transplant is the willingness to share the most precious thing – the chance to give someone a chance to live. Therefore, I invite everyone to consider their decision about organ donation, realizing its importance for people for whom it may be the only hope and a new start in life.”
“Transplantation is one of the greatest achievements in modern medicine, which can save someone’s life and significantly improve the quality of life compared to what it was before. However, this process is entirely dependent on the donors and their family members to make this life-saving donation to another person. Currently, 128 patients who urgently need a transplant are waiting for an organ transplant, and each donor’s donation can give an opportunity to save the life or restore the quality of life of one of the patients on the waiting list,” says Jānis Vilmanis, head of the National Transplant Coordination Service.
In Latvia, organ transplantation is a 100% state-paid treatment and is provided by the Latvian Transplant Center in cooperation with the specialists of the liver, heart and cornea transplant unit.
Organ transplantation is the best, or even the only, treatment for end-stage organ failure. It provides an opportunity to save life in situations where there are no other equivalent treatment options.
Stradins Hospital reminds that organ donation is possible both during life and after death. It is possible to donate one kidney and part of a liver during life. On the other hand, after death, a person can save the lives of at least eight other people or restore people’s quality of life by donating two kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, intestines, pancreas, small intestines, corneas, bones and tendons. Heart, liver, kidney and cornea transplants are provided at Stradiņš hospital.
Every citizen of the country has the opportunity to express his wish for organ donation after his death by making an appropriate mark on the website of the national E-health system or verbally informing his closest people so that this responsibility is not left on the shoulders of his relatives. More information about this option is available here.
