If You Needed A Major Organ Transplant

[josaphine32]

Would your blood type have to match, a question from my daughter.I said yes, does the heart, liver, lungs, work on any blood group. No surely

[2sp_]

Yes, you have to match the donor.

I know this as when my Dad received a double lung transplant, he was the only person on "his" list as he had a rare blood group.

[josaphine32]

Thank you 2 sp, they always say organ match, I thought so but daughter asked it and I could not give her a real answer, I suppose that is why so many people are on the waiting list. :(

[LazyGun]

They do not have to match, but they do have to be compatible - but it goes further than just whether or not the blood group is compatible. The organs need to be as HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) compatible as possible to reduce the chance of organ rejection. This response can be mediated to some extent using drugs,but it is better to get as compatible an organ as possible - Hence the search for a compatible donor is often started within family...

[2sp_]

It's not just blood but tissue too, but I think it's all linked to blood type.

Even though Dad was alone on his list, it still took 2 years to get a transplant. So sad that so many people die waiting.

[2sp_]

(Compatible is a much better term than match!)

[LazyGun]

I should explain the difference between a match and being compatible.

A group A recipient can receive an organ from a blood group O, A or AB blood group.
A group B recipient can receive an organ from a blood group 0, B or AB blood group.

And so on...........

[AB Editor]

Who is the hardest to match for?

[2sp_]

As far as blood type is concerned, AB- is the rarest.

But finding compatible organs is not just about blood type. They also have to match the size of the organ (no sniggering at the back) to the recipient. For instance, an adult heart would be far too big for a small child. And there are other science-y type factors too.

My dad was B+ which isn't hugely common but not hugely rare.

[RATTER15]

If an old heart was put in a young body, would it regenerate itself to the same age as the younger body or would it carry on aging as if it was still in an older body?

[gness]

MrG had offers of live donor kidneys but only the same blood group was acceptable then. I believe they are now working on transplants with non matching blood groups. I seem to remember being told that couples do become more compatible after a long time together. Only know this because my best friend was tested for donation to my husband and they were very compatible.
Caused some banter over the dinner table....;-) x

[2sp_]

Ratter, the heart would still be the same "age" it was when it was donated. Liver is the only organ that will regenerate.

(I only know bits of this, I'm more than happy for someone with a better understanding or knowledge than me to answer this!)

[LazyGun]

You do not need matching blood groups to effect an organ transplant. Thought I had made that point in my earlier post. You do however need group compatible organs.

@Ab Editor - I assume you mean which blood group is the most difficult to find a suitable organ for? That would be blood group O. Strictly speaking they can only recieve an organ from a blood group O donor.

@Ratter - No, a heart would not become younger if implanted in a younger recipient. Does not work like that :)

The Liver is the only organ that can regenerate - but that does not mean it gets younger. but rather a type of compensatory growth. It grows sufficiently to replicate original biochemical functions, but it does not necessarily regrow the same way morphologically speaking...or that it would therefore somehow be "younger"..

[RATTER15]

2sp_ thanks