In 2024, over 45,000 transplants were performed, and every 10 minutes, a patient was added to the transplant waiting list, according to a recent Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients report.
“The OPTN/SRTR Annual Data Report,” released June 12, analyzed national statistics on transplants using OPTN data on all solid organ procurement organizations. The report covers data from Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2024.
In 2024, 167,230 unique patients were on the waiting list for a solid organ transplant, and 70,6000 patients were added to the list that year.
Here are other statistics to know, by organ.
Kidney
- The total kidney transplant waiting list increased to 147,091 in 2024 from 139,715 in 2013.
- In 2024, 50,481 patients were added to the kidney transplant waiting list, compared with 38,622 in 2013.
- Kidney transplants increased to 28,492 in 2024 from 17,658 in 2013.
- Donation after circulatory death kidney transplants increased 190.8%; 30.5% of kidney transplants in 2024 compared with 10.5% in 2013.
- About 29% of recovered kidneys were not transplanted in 2024, up from 18.2% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 85.9% of kidney transplant recipients were alive (2017–2019 cohort).
Liver
- Liver candidates on the waiting list decreased to 25,538 in 2024 from 28,484 in 2013.
- Additions to the liver transplant waiting list increased to 15,395 in 2024 from 12,008 in 2013.
- Liver transplants increased to 11,458 in 2024 from 6,455 in 2013.
- DCD liver transplants increased 457.5%; 26.7% in 2024 compared with 4.8% in 2013.
- Approximately 11% of recovered livers were not transplanted in 2024, compared with 9.7% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 81.8% of liver transplant recipients were alive.
Heart
- Heart transplant candidates on the waiting list increased to 9,444 in 2024 from 7,456 in 2013.
- Newly listed heart candidates increased 50.6%: 6,068 in 2024 compared with 4,030 in 2013.
- Heart transplants increased to 4,636 in 2024 from 2,554 in 2013.
- DCD heart transplants increased to 17.1% in 2024 from 0% in 2013.
- Roughly 2% of recovered hearts were not transplanted in 2024, compared with 0.8% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 80.6% of heart transplant recipients were alive.
Lung
- Patients waiting for a lung transplant increased to 4,775 in 2024 from 4,257 in 2013.
- Lung candidates added to the waiting list increased to 3,822 in 2024 from 2,575 in 2013.
- Lung transplants increased to 3,404 in 2024 from 1,947 in 2013.
- DCD lung transplants increased 622.3%: 13% in 2024 compared with 1.8% in 2013.
- About 11% of recovered lungs were not transplanted in 2024, compared with 6.7% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 60.0% of lung transplant recipients were alive.
Pancreas
- Patients awaiting simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant increased to 3,721 in 2024 from 3,428 in 2013.
- Patients waiting for a pancreas-alone or pancreas-after-kidney transplant decreased to 996 in 2024 from 1,536 in 2013.
- Kidney-pancreas waiting list additions increased to 1,667 in 2024 from 1,271 in 2013.
- Pancreas-alone or pancreas-after-kidney waiting list additions decreased to 312 in 2024 from 477 in 2013.
- Pancreas transplants decreased to 847 in 2024 from 1,018 in 2013.
- Approximately 25% of recovered pancreata were not transplanted in 2024, compared with 23.9% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 89.0% of pancreas transplant recipients were alive.
Intestine
- Patients waiting for an intestine transplant decreased slightly to 339 in 2024 from 349 in 2023.
- Intestine waiting list additions decreased to 128 in 2024 from 180 in 2013.
- Intestine transplants remained relatively stable at 97 in 2024 versus 109 in 2013.
- About 5% of recovered intestines were not transplanted in 2024, down from 9.9% in 2013.
- At five years post-transplant, 63.3% of intestine transplant recipients were alive.
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