Timeline of Key Events in U.S. Transplantation and UNOS History

Transplantation	UNOS
1902 First successful experimental kidney transplants were performed at the Vienna Medical School in Austria with animals.
1954 First successful kidney transplant performed.
1958 First instance of a transplant recipient giving birth.
1961 Azathioprine, a rejection inhibitor, becomes available and increases the odds of successful organ transplants when used with steroids.
1962 First deceased donor kidney transplant performed.
1966 First simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplant performed.
1967 First successful liver transplant performed.
1968 First successful isolated pancreas transplant performed. First successful heart transplant performed.	1968 The Southeast Organ Procurement Foundation (SEOPF) is formed as a membership and scientific organization for transplant professionals.
1974 First heterotopic "piggyback" heart transplant performed.
	1977 SEOPF implements the first computer-based organ matching system, dubbed the "United Network for Organ Sharing."
1981 First successful heart-lung transplant performed.
	1982 SEOPF establishes the Kidney Center, the predecessor of the UNOS Organ Center, for round-the-clock assistance in placing donated organs.
1983 First successful single-lung transplant performed. Cyclosporine introduced.*
1984 National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) passed.**	1984 The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) separates from SEOPF and is incorporated as a non-profit member organization.
1986 First successful double-lung transplant performed.	1986 UNOS receives the initial federal contract to operate the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
1987 First successful intestinal transplant performed.
1988 First split-liver transplant performed.
1989 First successful living donor liver transplant performed.
1990 First successful living donor lung transplant performed.
1991 First successful small intestine transplant.
	1992 UNOS prepares first-ever comprehensive report on transplant survival rates for all active U.S. transplant centers. UNOS helps found the Coalition on Donation to build public support for organ donation.
	1995 UNOS launches its first Web site for all users with an interest in transplantation.
1998 First successful adult-to-adult living donor liver transplant performed.
	1999 UNOS launches UNetsm, a secure, Internet-based transplant information database system for all organ matching and management of transplant data.

*Cyclosporine was the first of a number of drugs that effectively treat organ rejection by suppressing the human immune system.

**The National Organ Transplant Act (P.L. 98-507) established the framework for a national system of organ transplantation.

Last updated: March 12, 2004