The transplantation of organs, tissues or cells is used when they can not be cured and the only treatment is valid replaced by other healthy. Surgery was performed in normally long.

The transplanted tissues of people who come in solidarity and without profit become donors. In most cases, donors are corpses in life expressed this desire.

History transplants

It has been one of the greatest advances of modern medicine and one that more lives have been saved. The investigation was tough, long and met not only with technical difficulties but also ethical.

From the repeated failures to date, this technique has changed considerably and makes heart transplants, liver, lung, kidney, bone marrow, skin or bones.

The first successful heart transplant took place in Cape Town (South Africa) in 1967 at the hands of Neething Christiaan Barnard. In Spain, the first success of this type was in the year 1984.

Another major progress was marrow transplantation saving lives in cases of serious diseases such as leukemia.

Types transplants

Transplants can be of organs, tissues or cells. Within these can be classified as also taking into account that organ, tissue or cell is specifically.

Another way to classify transplants is depending on the relationship between donor and recipient:

·  Autografts or autograft: transplanted cells or tissues belong to the individual. It is not uncommon for example in the case of the skin.

·  Isotransplante or exclude singénico: one in which subjects are genetically identical. This assumption is possible only in the case of twins homozygote.

·  Alotransplante or Allogeneic Transplant: Individuals are not the same genetic mind, but compatible.

Compatibility

Before an organ transplant is necessary to know if the donor and recipient are compatible. If they fail to be the recipient might experience a rejection of it.

To establish the probability of success takes into account the blood group of both people and the HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen).

The HLA molecules that are found on the surface of cells and guarantees the defense against external elements for its ability to generate antibodys.

When there is a transplant can understand that this system has to defend and attack the new organ, tissue or cells. Besides looking compatible donors are usually manage immunosuppressive drugs, which address the response of the immune system or defense system.

Legislation of transplants in Spain

In Spain the initial situation of the 60s and 70s was problematic, since there was no legislation either. Current law, albeit with reforms dating from 1979. It covers all aspects related to this subject.

The National Transplant Organization, under the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs, is responsible for coordinating and implementing all activities related to this issue.

Donor

Donors may be in some cases people alive when it comes to organs or tissues that are not vital to the individual, regenerate or can do without one as in the case of kidneys.

Anyway, most donors are people killed. To get enough donor contact the ONT via the Internet, telephone or so presencial. It can also be simply the desire to express to the families.

Spain is today one of the countries with more organ donors in the world, and its model is replicated elsewhere in the world.