Transplant Success

UVA's Transplant Survival Rates Exceed National Averages

Liver transplant patients at UVA are enjoying high survival and graft survival rates thanks to leading-edge care provided by a multidisciplinary team - as shown by recent statistics from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.

For the period between July 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2003, UVA's three-year patient survival rate (82.09 percent) and three-year graft survival rate (75.68 percent) for adults were the highest in Virginia and exceeded the national average.

UVA's treatment team expects to perform 80 to 90 liver transplants this year, and is now offering intestinal transplants. 

Team Approach

UVA's transplant team includes surgeons, hepatologists (doctors who specialize in treating liver disease), transplant nurses, social workers, anesthesiologists and other specialists.

Fast, Aggressive Care

UVA's transplant volumes are increasing, says transplant surgeon Timothy Schmitt, MD. This is because of the program's speed in liver transplantation - an average of about three hours - allows doctors to access a wider pool of liver donors and use a higher-quality transplant liver, reducing the chances for complications.

UVA is also seeking donor livers from neighboring states. That means patients receive transplants while they have a lower MELD score (the score that measures the severity of the disease), reducing a patient's pain and discomfort before transplant.