Cochlear implants can be safe and effective for kidney transplant patients who lose their hearing
Some people who undergo organ transplants lose their hearing as a side-effect of the antibiotics and immunosuppressive drugs they have to take. And while cochlear implants that restore hearing can raise the risk of getting ear infections and are thus not normally considered for patients with weakened immune systems, Kenneth Charles Iverson and Brian John McKinnon, of the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta, suggest that under certain conditions they may be safe and effective for kidney transplant patients. Read More.

4-factor model predicts post-heart transplant mortality
A risk-prediction tool using four factors at the time of transplant can help predict post-transplant mortality for children undergoing heart transplantation, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in the American Journal of Transplantation. Read More.

Health minister urged to change organ donor scheme
The Northern Ireland Assembly has urged the health minister to consult on an organ donation scheme where everyone is included, unless they opt out. Between April 2010 and last April, 17 people died in Northern Ireland waiting for a transplant. Recently, it emerged that 184 kidneys were offered to Northern Ireland patients in 2010 and 2011, but had not been used. Read More.

Turkish transplant patient sees face for first time
After undergoing Turkey's first face transplant, 19-year-old Ugur Acar sees his new face for the first time. Acar, who suffered serious burns to his face during a house fire, underwent a successful face transplant operation in January at Akdeniz University's School of Medicine. Turkish doctors successfully transplanted tissue from the face of a 45-year-old donor, Ahmet Kaya, to the teenage recipient. It will be another six months until Acar will be able to make facial expressions. Read More.

Organ donations in Canada failing to meet demand
Canadians aren't donating enough organs to meet the demand for patients, according to a report released recently. Despite an increase in need, the Canadian Institute for Health Information says that the number of donations in 2010 was on par with those from 2006. According to the study, 465 deceased donors and 567 living ones contributed to 2,103 organs in 2010. But the report notes that 229 people died that year awaiting a transplant. And there is concern that the number of deaths could rise if donations don't increase. Read More.

In Israel, a new approach to organ donation
Danielle Ofri writes, "One of the most agonizing spots in medicine is the 'transplant list'. When I've referred patients for organ transplant - heart, liver, kidney - it is the start of an anguished wait. The clock ticks for my patient as we watch her clinical status decline, all the while harboring that excruciating hope that someone will die soon enough to make an organ available. In the case of kidney donation, which can come from a live donor, it is the desperate hope that someone will decid to make this enormous personal sacrifice." Read More.

Wisconsin man dedicated to organ donation
Congratulations to Trey Schwab, who is celebrating his eight year anniversary of his lung transplant. Check out this story, and click on the video icon to watch the piece that aired last night. Keep up the great work Trey! Read More.