Antalya Becomes Turkey's Center For Organ Transplants

January 21, 2006

ANTALYA - The Akdeniz University Organ Transplants Center Director Prof. Dr. Alper Demirbas said on Wednesday that their center had performed 35-40 percent of all kidney transplants in Turkey in 2005 and exceeded the EU average.

In an interview with the A.A, Prof. Dr. Demirbas said, ''we transplanted 250 kidney, 18 liver and 10 pancreas in our center last year. One fifth of kidneys transplanted and the totality of liver and pancreases were taken from cadavers. We have reached a rate of success of 99.3 percent.''

''When we look at the figures of the European Organ Transplantation Association, we see that Prague-based Organ Transplantation Center was ranked first among its peers by performing 199 renal transplants in 2004. So we can say that we broke a European record,'' he said.

Highlighting the importance of organ donation, Prof. Dr. Demirbas said, ''currently, 40 thousand people in Turkey have been queuing for a kidney. Every year, about 7 thousand patients with renal failure are added to this number.''

''In the meantime, our center is using new techniques. For the first time in Turkey, we performed a kidney-pancreas transplant. This surgery was a milestone for patients suffering from both renal failure and diabetes. Also, we have succeeded in kidney transplant without tissue compatibility for the first time in Turkey. As a result, we have been able to double the number of kidney transplants and increase the ratio of transplants from cadaver, by 30 percent. We were awarded by important medicine institutions for our efforts,'' he added.

Copyright © 2006 The Anatolian Times.

This article posted February 17, 2006.