Transplantation in Turkey and region

The article provides insight into significant milestones in the history of organ transplantation in Turkey and region. In 1975, we were the first in Turkey to perform living‑related kidney transplantation and, in 1978, deceased‑donor kidney transplantation, using an organ supplied by Eurotransplant. In 1979, the law on harvesting, storage, grafting, and transplantation of organs and tissues was enacted. The first local deceased‑donor kidney transplantation was performed by our team in 1979. The first successful deceased‑donor liver transplantation, which was a groundbreaking surgery procedure for Turkey, the Middle East and Northern Africa, was carried out by our team in 1988. In 1990, we were the first not only in Turkey but also in the Middle East region as well as Europe to perform pediatric living‑related segmental liver transplantation. One month later, an adult‑to‑adult living‑related liver transplant (a left lobe) was successfully performed for the first time in the history of organ transplantation. On May 16, 1992, we carried out the first combined liver‑kidney transplantation from a living‑related donor, which was the first operation of its kind in the world. Between November 1975 and October 2021, we performed 3,256 kidney transplantations at Hacettepe University Hospitals  . Since 1988 to date, we have carried out 695 liver transplantations at Baskent University. According to the registry of the Ministry of Health, from 2002 to 2021, 46,115 kidney transplants were performed nationwide, as compared with 17,868 liver transplants, 1,153 heart transplants and 198 pancreas transplants. In 2001, the Ministry of Health established the National Coordination Center as an umbrella organization to promote transplantation activities, especially deceased‑donor organ procurement. Despite constantly increasing overall living‑donor transplant rate across the country, overall deceased‑donor transplant rate is still far below the desired level.