The independent chief transplantologist of the Russian Ministry of Health, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergei Gauthier, stated that last year more than 3,000 thousand organ transplants were performed in Russia, which became an absolute record in the entire the history of transplants in our country.
The first kidney transplant in the USSR was performed in 1965. Since then, the number of organ transplant operations has been increasing.
FAST FACTS
* In 2024 the Institute of Transplantology and Artificial Organs named after VI will celebrate its 55th anniversary. Academician Shumakov, whose permanent director has been Sergei Gauthier for many years.
* Just 10 years ago, 1,400 operations were carried out a year; In 2023, 3,054 operations were already carried out throughout Russia.
* Organ transplants are performed not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg. There are a total of 68 transplant centers in the country.
* Most kidney transplants are performed in the world and in Russia. Of the 3,000 operations performed in our country last year, approximately 2,000 were kidney surgeries. Both from a related and posthumous donor.
* 2020, the year of the pandemic, was in some ways a failure for transplant surgeons. Only the most urgent emergency operations were carried out, when a person simply would not survive without a transplant.
* The Covid pandemic has greatly “damaged” donor lungs: there is now a serious shortage. Doctors notice many lesions in the lungs of donors: fibrosis, insufficiency, etc. Of course, those organs cannot be transplanted.
“But this motivated our scientists,” said Sergei Gauthier. – In our institute we have developed special devices and a diffuse solution, thanks to which, firstly, we can check the viability of the lungs and, secondly, prolong their service life if, for example, the patient travels from afar.
* At the Shumakov Center and throughout the country, a psychological support service is being developed not only for patients waiting for transplants, but also for parents of children in need of organs.
* Often, children waiting for a transplant are forced to literally live in the hospital. They study at the “Teach-Know” hospital school.
“We have unique specialists who have incredible empathy and sensitivity and love children and their work very much,” said Sergei Gauthier. – Of course, children feel this and respond to affection and kindness. This is very important, because waiting for surgery cannot but affect the emotional state of the child. I am glad that every year there are more specialists of this type.
* This year the third Transplant Games will be held in Russia: competitions for people with organ transplants. A healthy lifestyle and daily physical activity is a very important point for them. And people who have received a second chance in life use all the capabilities of their body.
Independent chief specialist transplantologist of the Ministry of Health of Russia, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Gauthier. Photo: Valery Sharifulin/TASS
THE FUTURE OF TRANSPLANTOLOGY: ANIMAL OR ARTIFICIAL ORGANS?
Now, both here and around the world, donor organs (lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, from a posthumous donor) or related organs (part of the liver or a kidney, from a relative) are used.
How realistic is it to artificially grow donor organs?
“In my opinion, in the near future it is not realistic,” said Sergei Gauthier. – Of course, these events are underway, both in our country and around the world, but so far we are not very close to solving this problem. The human body, each of its organs, is a unique invention of nature. Take the liver as an example: it is a true laboratory for the production of proteins, enzymes and other substances. And at the same time a cleaning facility. In theory, we can artificially reproduce these functions separately, but whether they will work the way the liver works is another question…
As for xenotransplantation (transplantation of animal organs), it also has its own problems:
“Every living being on Earth has its own genetic code, its own unique diseases,” explains the academic. – Two heart transplant operations have already been carried out in the world from a specially genetically modified pig. But, unfortunately, both were not very successful: in the first case, the person lived for several weeks, in the second, a little more than a month. What’s the problem: The gene changes achieved in the donor pig were not enough. To prevent the organ from being rejected, the recipients were still forced to take a large number of immunosuppressants, drugs that suppress the immune system from fighting the foreign organ. Because of this, immunity dropped to practically zero and the body was attacked by infections, not only ordinary human ones, but also unique ones, porcine ones. But people could no longer cope with them… Yes, maybe this is the future of transplantology, because now all scientists are looking for opportunities to perform as many transplants as possible for people in need. But in my opinion, for now it is more important and more effective to develop posthumous donation, to create more centers in our country, so that people do not come to Moscow for a transplant, but can receive this help in their region.
