Turkish surgeons performed the first living donor transplant in the Netherlands

While Turkey was once a country that benefited from the knowledge and experience of foreign surgeons, today Turkish surgeons are leading the world, particularly in the field of living donor organ transplants. These physicians, whose knowledge and experience are considered international examples, conduct training and lead operations. The latest example of this occurred at the Leiden University Hospital, established 450 years ago as a reward for the university city of Leiden, with a population of 250,000. General Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Hamdi Karakayalı and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tonguç Utku Yılmaz, along with General Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Yaman Tokat , performed the first living donor liver transplant in the Netherlands at Leiden University Hospital, experiencing the joy of sharing in the university's success, which marks a new chapter in medical history.

They came to Türkiye last year

While Turkey ranks last globally in cadaveric liver transplants, it ranks first in living donor organ transplants. Turkish physicians, who are now sharing the knowledge and experience they have gained in this field with their international colleagues, are achieving significant success. Professor Dr. Hamdi Karakayalı commented on the living donor liver transplant they recently performed at Leiden University Hospital in the Netherlands:

Last year, Leiden's organ transplant team (surgeons, gastroenterologists, radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists, and operating room nurses) visited us and spent a week observing our three liver transplant surgeries. After returning to their home countries, the donor and recipient were finally prepared for the first case. We decided they were suitable in an online consultation and scheduled the surgery date. We transplanted the liver from his 29-year-old nephew, a donor, to a 45-year-old Dutch patient and successfully completed the 13-hour surgery. Incidentally, the donor surgery was performed robotically, thanks to the contribution of a surgeon from Taiwan who joined the team. We were proud to provide such support to a prestigious institution, Leiden University Faculty of Medicine, which is well-known worldwide.

Türkiye ranks first in the world in living donor transplant success

Prof. Dr. Karakayalı emphasized that, according to official data, most of the nearly 35,000 patients currently registered on the Ministry of Health's Organ Transplant Waiting List are in urgent need of organ transplants. He said , "Organ donations are not sufficient to meet the need, and unfortunately, many patients die during the waiting period, while new patients are constantly added to the list. However, when looking at the number of living donor liver transplants that enable treatment for patients who find a donor, our country ranks first. Ideally, the rate of cadaveric donations would be high. Therefore, we must absolutely increase cadaveric transplants in our country."

Prof. Dr. Karakayalı also stated that according to the Ministry of Health's newly published regulations, organ donation declarations can now be made via e-Government and e-Pulse, and that this is a promising development in increasing cadaver donations.