Organ transplantation in Iran

Abstract EN

The first renal transplantation in Iran was carried out in 1967.

Between 1967 to 1988 almost all renal transplants were from living-related donors and the number of renal transplants performed was much lower than the national demand.

In 1988, a compensated and regulated livingunrelated donor renal transplantation program was adopted.

As a result, the number of renal transplants performed substantially increased such that in 1999, the renal transplant waiting list was completely eliminated.

By the end of 2006, a total of 21251 renal transplants were performed (3641 from livingrelated, 16544 from living-unrelated and 1066 from deceased-donors).

In this program, many ethical problems that were associated with paid kidney donation were prevented.

Currently, Iran is the only country with no renal transplant waiting lists, and > 50 % of patients with end-stage renal disease have functioning grafts.

In April 2000, the legislation was passed by parliament accepting brain death and allowing deceased-donor organ transplantation.

By the end of 2006, 18 brain death identification units, 13 organ procurement units were organized, and a total of 1546 deceased-donor organ transplantations were performed (1066 kidney, 327 liver, 122 heart, 20 lungs, 7 pancreas-kidney, 2 heart-lungs and 2 small bowel transplants).

The number of deceased-donor organ transplants have slowly but steadily increased in the country.

The majority of deceased-donor kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants have been performed by transplant team of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.