 |
 |
|
Dr.
Ronald Busuttil
Director, Dumont-UCLA Liver Transplant Center
|
|
| Within
the next 50 years, liver transplantation will have a much different
look. While
today we primarily rely on cadaveric donation, tomorrow's organs
may be laboratory-grown as a result of the advances that will
be made in genomics, stem cell research and cloning. With these
new techniques, living-related liver transplantation, which
puts the donor at risk, will no longer be used. The rejection
process will be better understood, and anti-rejection drugs
will be improved to the point where they induce a permanent
state of tolerance for transplanted organs. Animal organs --
xenografts -- will probably not be used. Although these new
advances will simplify and improve the results of transplantation,
mainly by decreasing the side effects, newer discoveries in
the prevention and treatment of diseases such as hepatitis and
cirrhosis will likely preclude the need for transplantation
in these patients 50 years hence.
|
|
|
