For many patients on the kidney and liver transplant wait lists, it can be years before a suitable organ from a deceased donor becomes available. An online platform designed by the Baylor Scott & White Annette C. and Harold C. Simmons Transplant Institute is giving patients a creative tool to help them find a living donor. Living donor transplant can shorten the wait for a transplant, as well as improve the chances of a successful outcome.
This tool guides Baylor Scott & White patients through a series of questions about their experience of living with end-stage kidney or liver disease, their need for a transplant and how a living donor transplant could change their life. The patient can also upload two pictures of themselves and/or family. Once approved by the transplant team, patients are sent a link to a personal webpage that describes their need for a transplant. This link can be shared on social media or emailed to their friends and family.
The patient’s webpage includes links to education about living donation, including what the evaluation process looks like, and a link for anyone who is interested in living donation to begin the screening process. At this time, this tool is only available to patients who have undergone transplant evaluation at Baylor Scott & White hospitals in Dallas and Fort Worth.
“We know some patients may not be comfortable talking about their disease and/or asking people to donate,” says Marissa Dunlap, BSN, RN, pre-kidney transplant educator, BSW Simmons Transplant Institute. “We want to help patients be proactive in finding a donor by making it easier for others know about their need.”
The Patient Stories form will walk patients through how to share their story about why they need a transplant and how a living donor could help.
Growing our physician teams in Dallas and Fort Worth
The hepatology and abdominal transplant teams are pleased to welcome several new physicians in recent months. Yeshika Sharma, MD joins the hepatology team at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth welcomes hepatologist Craig Rosenstengle MD, and two new abdominal transplant surgeons, Marc Najjar, MD and Nina Wickramaratne, MD.
Islet cell transplant after total pancreatectomy leaves patient pain- and insulin-free for 10 years
At age 62, Beth Maley of Terrell, Texas, began experiencing severe stomach pain. She describes sitting in a business meeting with the pain so bad she would want to scream, but she held it in. Amazingly, she never missed a day of work due to the pain.
Leadership and innovation in transplant care
The 40th anniversary of transplant at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas (Baylor Dallas), part of Baylor Scott & White Health, is an opportunity to celebrate over 11,000 life-changing transplants delivered by a team who is continually innovating to deliver the best care to patients and donors.
Innovative approaches increase access to liver transplant for patients with low MELD scores
Historically, in any transplant program worldwide, patients had to be extremely sick and have a high Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score to receive a liver transplant. However, often the MELD score does not represent how sick the patient truly is.
Anji Wall, MD, receives prestigious award from ASTS
Anji E. Wall, MD, PhD, FACS, an abdominal transplant surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center, has been named the recipient of the Rising Stars in Transplantation Surgery Award from the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS).
Remarkable discovery of regeneration of islet cells from leftover tissue
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas (Baylor Dallas), part of Baylor Scott & White Health, operates the only transplant program in Texas offering total pancreatectomy followed by islet auto-transplantation (TPIAT) for acute relapsing and chronic pancreatitis. A TPIAT is performed to alleviate the pain of chronic pancreatitis and retain the endocrine function.