Among an extensive list of the nation’s firsts and records, the Texas Children’s Hospital is currently leading the country with the most pediatric organ transplants.
The data, compiled by the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN), shows that the Children’s Hospital ranked number one for the most pediatric heart, liver, and lung transplants and was number two for the most pediatric kidney transplants.
According to an AP release, the TCH successfully completed 118 organ transplants in 2021, beating out every other U.S. children’s hospital. The sheer volume of transplants seen at the hospital is unlike any other hospital in the U.S., the AP report states.
In 2021, the Texas Children’s Hospital celebrated its 2000th transplant and its 500th pediatric heart transplant. Over four hundred beds and world-class surgeons helped solidify the legacy of the TCH year and year again.
“Among the highest in both the nation and the world, our pediatric transplant success rate underscores the Transplant Services team’s cutting-edge, leading position in the field,” says TCH Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry H. Hollier.
In 2013, the hospital completed 98 transplants and logged triple-digit numbers each year through 2021. Other accolades include the TCH being the first U.S. hospital to successfully implant an artificial heart into an adolescent. The child, Jordan Merecka, received the device in 2011, which electronically keeps his blood flowing while he waits for a permanent donor.
The Texas Children’s Hospital often takes cases like these, which has earned the hospital a reputation for performing rare and monumental surgeries such as Jordan’s.
“As doctors, we are humbled and honored to witness the impact this incredible gift of life has on the lives of our pediatric transplant patients and their families,” said Dr. John A. Goss, the Medical Director for TCH. While speaking about the record number of transplants, he praised the donors who made such transplants possible, calling those individuals “selfless.”
One single organ donor can save up to eight lives, Penn Medicine writes. Those who wish to donate their organs after death are encouraged to register through DonateLife. There are more than 100,000 people waiting for transplants.
