Transplant Surgery

James D. Eason, M.D., Division Chief

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Transplant Division has performed over 2000 transplants since the organ transplant program began in 1970. The early years, under the leadership of Dr. Louis G. Britt, the kidney transplant program forged the way for Bowld Hospital to become a premier institution for the postoperative care of transplant recipients. The year 1982 opened the gateway for UT Memphis to become one of the first three programs in the U.S. to offer liver transplantation under the expert guidance of Dr. Santiago Vera. The expansion of the UT, Memphis program in the past decade can be attributed to the leadership of Dr. Osama Gaber as well as the UT Bowld Hospital's commitment to excellent care.

UT, Memphis now offers kidney-pancreas in addition to kidney and liver transplantation for both the adult and pediatric population. The surgical team consists of five surgeons who perform the transplant surgeries at Wm. F. Bowld and Le Bonheur Children's Hospitals. The support team includes Surgical residents, clinical transplant coordinators, an immunology laboratory, Pharm D's, Social Workers, and nurse practitioners provide pre to long-term care for all transplant recipients.

The Transplant Research program consists of clinical research projects. Current projects involve the study of the immunologic processes of rejection, development of islet preservation for future human use, as well as multiple pharmacological trial for improved immunosuppressant drug combination. UT, Memphis also has the largest longitudinal research database on quality of life in renal transplant recipients. Our center currently has a multidisciplinary intervention study underway to improve not only quality of life in transplant recipients but to develop a model of posttransplant outpatient care that can be replicated in other transplant centers.