Transplant Living: Organ Donation and Transplantation Information for Patients


Organ Facts Heart Lung Heart/Lung Kidney Pancreas Kidney/Pancreas Liver Intestine Diseases Polycystic kidneys Diabetes mellitus COPD Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Cystic fibrosis Hypertension Coronary heart disease Cardiomyopathy Short gut syndrome Cirrhosis Hepatitis Living with Devices Artificial Hearts LVADS ICDs Pacemakers Hemodialysis Peritoneal Dialysis Liver Support Systems About Organ Allocation Matching Organs Waiting for an Organ Policies Getting on the List The National Waiting List People You Should Know Questions to Ask Selecting a Hospital Which Hospital Is Best For You? Other Options to Consider Financing a Transplant The Costs Social Services Funding Sources Care Following a Transplant Financial Resources Directory Financial Q & A Preparing for a Transplant Waiting for Your Transplant Emotional Aspects of Waiting Q & A		Organ Facts Kidney/Pancreas How the Kidney and Pancreas Work The kidneys are a pair of reddish-brown organs located on either side of the spine just below the diaphragm. They are bean-shaped and about 4 and 1/2 inches long, 2 and 1/2 inches wide and one inch thick. The primary function of the kidneys is to remove waste from the body through the production of urine. They also help to regulate blood pressure, blood volume and the chemical (electrolyte) composition of the blood. The pancreas is a five to six inch gland located behind the stomach. One function of the pancreas is to produce enzymes that are used for digestion. It also produces insulin, which is essential for life because it regulates the use of blood sugar throughout the body. U.S. Kidney/Pancreas Transplants Performed The chart below shows the number of kidney/pancreas transplants performed each year from January 1, 2003 - March 31, 2009. Based on current OPTN data as reported on June 26, 2009. Data subject to change based on future data submission or correction. Common Diseases That May Lead to Transplantation Polycystic kidneys Nephrosclerosis Chronic pyelonephritis Glomerulonephritis Diabetes mellitus Kidney stones Renal cell carcinoma Wilms' tumor Reference and Publication Information The United Network for Organ Sharing is committed to providing accurate and reliable information for transplant patients. To learn more about our content authorship and review process, please read about our Editorial Board. The content on this page was originally created on August 1, 2003 by the United Network for Organ Sharing and last modified on December 20, 2007. This web site is intended solely for the purpose of electronically providing the public with general health-related information and convenient access to the data resources. UNOS is not affiliated with any one product nor does UNOS assume responsibility for any error, omissions or other discrepancies.		You may also want to learn about: How to understand transplant statistics Kidney/Pancreas center data reports Policies Specific to the Kidney/Pancreas How a kidney transplant is performed How a pancreas transplant is performed Kidney dialysis Living donation facts