In 2020, we performed 408 organ transplantations, of which 20 on children. This was the second highest annual number of organ transplantations in our history. The coronavirus epidemic had practically no impact on the number of organ transplantations.
We have centralized national responsibility for all organ transplantations in Finland. We perform organ transplantations on adult patients at Meilahti Tower Hospital and on child patients at the New Children’s Hospital.
Our intensive care units were well prepared to cater to organ donors alongside caring for coronavirus patients. We received more notifications on potential donors than ever before. A legislative amendment that entered into force in March 2019 allowed live organ transplantations not only from friends but also from anonymous donors; the first such procedure was carried out in 2020.
Transplantations in 2020
- We performed 263 kidney transplantations, of which 31 from live donors.
- We performed 75 liver transplantations, of which eight on children.
- We performed one bowel transplantation, the only one in the Nordic countries.
- We performed 26 pancreas transplantations, the highest number in the Nordic countries.
- We performed 22 heart transplantations on adult and child patients and 21 lung transplantations on adult patients.
As at the end of 2020, there were 541 patients waiting for an organ transplant. For about 1% of patients each year, a suitable transplant cannot be found in time. It is thus necessary to increase the number of organ donations per year.