Future Prospects of Organ Transplantation

Abstract

The gap between organ demand and supply is an universal problem in organ and tissue transplantation therapy. The gap is growing in spite of efforts spent in medical, educational, social areas and mass media support. This reality has created the need for completely new therapeutic alternatives for the management of end-stage organ disease. The present research should continue in future aiming to discover systems and devices capable of totally replacing the traditional transplantation. On the other hand, a different progress in underway in transplantation. The indication for solid organ transplantation is to save life and promote quality of life. The new developing transplantations of composite tissue, uterus and face are performed with completely different indications. Facial defects caused by various insults cause serious functional and esthetic disorders, psychological and social problems. Facial transplant surgery is accomplished to overcome such problems. Uterus transplantation is emerging as an alternative to female infertility. Transplantation of composite tissue includes different organs. The main purpose of composite tissue transplantation is to restore reduced or completely lost functions and to increase the quality of life. Nerve regeneration must occur as a consequence of transplant to regain sensory and motor functions. It appears that the future of transplantation involves developments in two main streams; invention of completely new tools for solid organ transplantation and advances in the transplantation of different organs including uterus, face and composite tissue.

The Progress in Bioprinting and Its Potential Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life

“…They have been utilized in numerous procedures, including full face transplantation, kidney or liver tumor removal, and acetabular reconstructive surgery, among others [ 12 , 13 , 67 ]. These models have significantly contributed to improving surgical outcomes and enhancing patient care [ 5 , 14 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 ].…”

“…Presently, we are witnessing significant advancements in transplant capabilities worldwide. Organ transplants not only extend patients’ lives but also greatly enhance their quality of life [ 14 ]. Various organs, including the cornea, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, spleen, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, and pancreas, have already been successfully transplanted [ 7 ].…”

“…The utilization of printed models for pre-operative planning and surgical visualization has already become a standard practice in clinical settings, especially for cases involving complex anatomical deformities [ 12 , 13 ]. Moreover, these printed models could be employed to educate and inform patients about upcoming surgical interventions [ 5 , 14 ].…”

“…Successful organ transplants, including cornea, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, spleen, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, and pancreas, have been performed, addressing critical medical needs. However, the persistent shortage of organ donors poses a serious challenge [ 14 ]. To overcome this issue, it is imperative to explore innovative approaches for creating artificial organs [ 1 ].…”

Direct extrusion of multifascicle prevascularized human skeletal muscle for volumetric muscle loss surgery

“…The autologous tissues used for implantation often differ in size from the injured muscle, which results in inadequate functional regeneration [12]. To solve this limitation of autologous transfers, donated skeletal muscles that correspond to the injured muscle type can replace the source free functional muscle [13, 14]. However, the lack of available donor tissue [15] and donor site morbidity [14] are two main limitations of donated skeletal muscle transplantation.…”