Transplant

During the 23rd annual Levi Watkins Jr., MD Lecture, individuals were honored for noteworthy contributions that reflect Watkins’ mission of improving health care for all people. From left are Consuelo Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Senior Vice President and Senior Associate Dean for Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence, Ariana Matos, Andrew Kittleson, speaker Constance Mobley, MD, PhD, Ebele Umeukeje, MD, MPH, Tia’Asia James, MD, and Kimberly Vinson, MD, associate dean for Diversity Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Wilkins and Vinson presented the awards. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
November 25, 2024

Lecture, awards honor legacy of Levi Watkins Jr., MD

Constance Mobley, PhD’98, MD’03, shared her journey to becoming a transplant surgeon, the research and clinical innovations she has contributed to during her career, and the wisdom she has gained through the years.

By Jill Clendening
Konrad Hoetzenecker, MD, PhD
November 22, 2024

Konrad Hoetzenecker named surgical director of the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program

Hoetzenecker comes to Vanderbilt from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, where he has been professor of Lung Transplantation and director of the Lung Transplant Program.

By Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt’s Ashish Shah, MD (in white coat); with Ukrainian physicians, from left, Roman Buriak, MD, PhD; Vadym Mykolaienko, MD; Maksym Konodiuk, MD; Oleg Zhurba, MD, PhD; Yevhen Yarmilko, MD; and Vadym Golub, MD. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
November 21, 2024

Ukrainian team visits VUMC to hone transplant surgery skills

With the help of Vanderbilt and other transplant centers, Ukraine has developed a growing transplant program in the country in the last four years.

By Matt Batcheldor
Transplant patient Bill Jackson. (photo by Matt Batcheldor)
November 7, 2024

Transplant patient’s indomitable spirit proves inspirational

Bill Jackson received a heart and double lung transplant, an unusual procedure performed only a handful of times each year at VUMC and one that can occur at only the most specialized transplant centers.

By Matt Batcheldor
October 7, 2024

Skydiving, bungee jumping, deer hunting and the World Transplant Games: 13 years after getting her new kidney, Sheila Spann keeps living life to the fullest

All that’s in addition to her day jobs as a pharmacist and diabetes educator just outside of Jackson, Mississippi.

By Matt Batcheldor
J. Kelly Wright Jr., MD, speaks during his recent retirement reception. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
September 23, 2024

Pioneering transplant surgeon J. Kelly Wright Jr. retires

Wright and C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, performed Vanderbilt’s first liver transplant in 1991. This year, VUMC celebrated its 3,000th liver transplant.

By Matt Batcheldor
September 16, 2024

Dedication, teamwork key to performing 10 kidney transplants in two days

Why were there so many kidney transplants in a weekend? Rachel Forbes, MD, MBA, said it was purely happenstance. All the transplants were the result of matching kidneys from deceased donors being discovered at once for 10 patients.
By Matt Batcheldor
September 12, 2024

Advocating for organ donation

The hearing was a one-year check-in on the implementation of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act to maintain a national registry for organ matching.
September 5, 2024

VUMC reaches new liver transplant milestone 

While the surgery was a milestone for the hospital, for the pediatric patient and her family, it represented an answer to many prayers. 
By Jessica Pasley
July 24, 2024

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt adds pancreas and lung transplant services

Recognized as a major regional referral center for heart, kidney and liver transplantation, incorporating pancreas and lung transplant services for pediatric patients bolsters the well-established expertise currently offered by the Vanderbilt Transplant Center.
By Jessica Pasley
July 23, 2024

Vanderbilt Transplant Center finishes fiscal year with record 809 solid organ transplants

Vanderbilt’s adult heart, lung, liver and kidney transplant programs individually had record fiscal years, with 150 heart transplants, 90 lung transplants, 180 liver transplants and 333 kidney transplants. In addition, adult transplant teams performed three heart/lung transplants and four kidney/pancreas transplants.
By Matt Batcheldor
June 13, 2024

Study shows transplant volumes decreased, costs rose following federal policy change

The new policy changed liver allocations from a regional service area to an “acuity circles” system that assigns donor livers as far as 500 nautical miles away based on the acuity of recipients.
By Matt Batcheldor
May 17, 2024

A Mother’s Day to remember

Melissia Boynton got the call about 3 a.m. on Mother’s Day that her new heart was available. Immediately, her plans changed from a barbecue around the family pool to a middle-of-the-night drive to Nashville to get her new heart.
By Matt Batcheldor
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