Tufts Medical Center's (Tufts MC) Transplant Surgery Service is one of New England's most successful multi-organ transplant programs. We provide care using a multidisciplinary approach, a thorough and personalized evaluation process and deliver outcomes above national averages. Our transplant programs include the following:
- Kidney transplantation
- Heart transplantation
- Liver transplantation
- Bone marrow and stem cell transplantation
Our transplantation services also feature dedicated, HEPA-filtered surgery facilities and a continual commitment from our physicians and staff to keep both our patients and referring physicians informed and involved in the treatment process.
We have played a significant role in the field of transplant surgery, beginning with the development of the very first immunosuppressive drugs. Our contributions started in the 1950s when the Medical Center's research into the immune system led Tufts University researchers Robert Schwartz and William Dameshek to discover the chemical 6-mercaptopurine and its immunosuppressive effects.
This breakthrough led to the formulation of the drug azathioprine and ushered in the modern era of transplant immunosuppression. Then, in the 1960s, Dr. Herbert Fischer performed the world's first human small bowel transplants at Tufts MC. Kidney transplants are now routine at Tufts MC, and our heart and bone marrow transplant programs also continue to grow and excel.
Our transplantation staff comprises some of the finest and most accomplished surgeons, medical specialists and nurses in the country. We have performed more than 1,300 kidney transplants (as of 7/1/16) for both adult and pediatric patients since the program's inception in 1971. The Medical Center is well known for its excellent results in kidney transplantation, and our outcomes exceed national standards.
