In this example, pediatric transplant candidates listed at transplant hospitals A, B or C would all be within the initial level of distribution for compatible donor offers.
More pediatric patients will receive transplants as a result of the new OPTN liver distribution policy.
For pediatric liver donors (younger than age 18), the liver distribution policy passed by the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors in December 2018 generally increases priority for pediatric candidates before adult candidates other than Status 1A. Livers from pediatric donors will be offered initially to compatible pediatric candidates listed at any transplant hospital within a 500 nautical-mile radius of the donor hospital.
Modeling shows that under the new system:
- More children will receive a transplant
- Fewer people will die waiting
- There will be greater consistency in the geographic areas used to match liver transplant candidates with available organs
Learn how the system will prioritize all liver transplant candidates
In focus
LifeLink of Georgia nearly triples African-American donors
Through focused quality improvement and education practices, LifeLink of Georgia has almost tripled recovery of African-American donors.
New CARE tool visualizes organ acceptance and refusal
Center Acceptance and Refusal Evaluation (CARE) Report allows transplant centers to see all of the offers they accept as well as all those they refuse.
OPOs set records for organ donation in 2018
71 percent of organ procurement organizations increased organ donations in 2018, thanks to the generosity of donors and donor families.
Lung and liver perfusion on the rise
Lung perfusion has more than tripled since 2015, growing from 1.7 percent to 6.3 percent and potentially expanding the pool of organs available for transplant.