Welcome to Rush University Transplant Program.
I am Dr. Martin Hertl, the director of Solid Organ Transplant.
At Rush we provide life-saving liver, kidney and kidney/pancreas transplantation.
Rush is an academic health system whose mission is to improve the health of the patients and
the diverse communities we serve with nationally recognized health care, education, research
and a commitment to community partnerships.
Rush University Medical Center is nationally recognized and centrally located in Chicago.
Over 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving transplantation.
The Rush University Transplant Program cares for patients who are in need of liver, kidney
and pancreas transplantation. We have a dedicated team to take care of your
medical needs throughout the different phases of transplantation, including hepatology, nephrology,
cardiac care, expert nursing, social work, nutrition and many other specialties.
Organ transplantation may be an option for people who have a medical condition that may
cause one or more of their vital organs to fail.
A transplantation is a surgical procedure giving a functioning human organ to someone
whose organ has stopped working or is close to failing.
In some cases, a living person can donate all or part of a functioning organ, as is
done in living donor liver or kidney transplantation.
In other instances, the donor would be someone who has recently passed away.
Organs can be donated from a deceased donor and from a living donor.
A living donor is someone who donates a kidney or part of the liver while he or she is still alive.
Despite the risks and sacrifices, most donors look back positively at their decision to
donate and are grateful for the opportunity to save the life of a loved one.
A living donor can be a family member, friend, coworker or even an acquaintance.
Living donation can be the best option for the recipient.
For example, there are better outcomes with living donor kidney transplantation, as the
kidney starts functioning immediately and lasts longer than a kidney
from a deceased donor.
The waiting time obviously is also dramatically shorter since the transplantation can take
place as soon as the recipient and donor evaluations are completed.
This is crucial, because the less time a person spends on dialysis, the better the outcomes
after transplantation.
If you are not a match, there are still options for living donation by enrolling in the National
Kidney Registry and the United Network for Organ Sharing Exchange Programs.
Registering for both programs can give you the opportunity to be a part of the living
donor transplant chain, in which recipients and donor pairs from around the country can
be matched to donate to one another.
The Rush University Transplant Program offers a full range of transplant services for patients
with acute liver failure or end-stage liver diseases.
The program is a collaborative effort between the Division of Hepatology and
the Transplant Program at Rush.
Since its inception in 1985, Rush's transplant program has been one of the most active programs
of its kind in the nation.
At Rush, we have a comprehensive evaluation clinic to expedite the transplant evaluation
process and get patients on the transplant waiting list more quickly.
Rush also has a comprehensive liver tumor board composed of specialists from multiple
areas who work collaboratively to provide the most up-to-date, advanced and compassionate
care for our patients with cancer.
To learn more out about our outstanding services, call the University Transplant Program.
Thank you.