Organ donation can take two different forms. In one instance, the individual receives an organ that has been donated after the donor has passed away, also called a cadaver donation. In the second instance, an individual receives either an organ or...
Organ donation is a weighty and complex decision. On the pro side, donated organs save lives. On the con side, the organ donation process is involved, and rife with misconception. A thorough understanding of the pros and cons of these procedures...
Donating an organ is a powerful way to save a life. In the United States alone, more than 100,000 patients are currently waiting for organ transplants. Many of them will die waiting, because of the severe shortage of organs. The number of...
In 2009, 38 percent of the 16,830 kidney transplants were made possible by the bravery and generosity of living kidney donors. In that year, 6,388 lives were changed because of this life-saving act. All of those donors were willing to undergo...
Bariatric surgery patients commonly undergo plastic surgery, or body contouring, to remove excess skin and help reshape the body after they have lost a significant amount of weight. Advancements in medical technology have allowed doctors to use...
With the number of people in the United States waiting for a life saving organ transplant growing greater than 100,000 people, the need for organ donors is higher than ever. Taking time to educate yourself about organ and tissue donation is the...
Nearly 6,400 living donors gave kidneys to another person in 2009, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Donors undergo rigorous physical and psychological testing prior to surgery and cannot have serious health issues of their own,...
The decision to become an organ and tissue donor, whether while you are living and healthy or after your death, is an important one that should be weighed carefully with the benefits to you, society, and your family. Both the positives and...
The most amazing benefit of a healthy liver is life. Your liver is vital -- you would die without it. In fact, liver disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, and one of every 10 Americans has some form of it, according to...
When people reach the end of the useful life of one or both of their kidneys through disease, the option beyond dialysis--a mechanical medical cleaning procedure that substitutes for the work of the kidneys--is typically transplantation. Because...
While humans start life with excess kidney function, disease often robs some patients of this capability. As kidney function dwindles to a point where it is no longer possible to sustain life, doctors often speak to patients about possible...
According to the United States Organ and Tissue Transplantation Association, organ donation is defined as tissue or organ removal from a deceased or living donor, for transplantation purposes. Tissues and organs are moved in a surgical procedure....
With over 100,000 people waiting for organ transplants in the United States, the need for donors is substantial. While registering as a donor after your death can help others, you also can be a living donor through the donation of one kidney or a...
Choosing to have a kidney transplant may be one of the most important decisions of your life. The National Institutes of Health states that in 2007, 17,513 Americans received a kidney from either a live or deceased donor. According to...
Kidneys filter waste products and water from the blood and body, which are excreted during urination. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NKUDIC, says the kidneys also regulate blood pressure, potassium and...
The usual first step in treating biliary atresia is definitively diagnosing the condition through exploratory surgery. During this surgery, physicians are able to observe the biliary system for damaged and or missing bile ducts. The procedure is...
Type 2 diabetes can jeopardize physical well being, endanger economic security and challenge the ability to work and play. It affects not only the person with the disease but also his entire family. With sleep optimization, adherence to proven...
Renal disease,often referred as kidney disease, results in gradual loss of kidney function leading to high levels of fluid and waste in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Filtering toxins from the blood through small structures called...
Donating plasma is not painful. There are only two very fast feelings of a pinching sensation when the needle pricks the arms to insert the needle to collect and return blood. From that point on there will not be any pain in the process of...
Cirrhosis is the buildup of scar tissue in the liver. Scar tissue stems from damage to the liver that develops over time. Liver damage is a critical issue because the liver is a vital organ. According to MayoClinic.com, several causes of cirrhosis...
Whether providing relief from pain due to kidney stones called calculi, allowing a new lease on life through transplant or creating hope for a cancer patient, kidney surgery turns lives around. This surgery is performed by a regular surgeon,...
End stage liver disease occurs when the liver has sustained severe damage, usually over the course of many years, and is in the process of failing completely. Alcohol abuse and infection with the hepatitis C virus are the two leading causes of...
Chronic liver disease is a broad term used to describe liver damage resulting from many different causes. Liver disease usually begins with inflammation of the liver, known as hepatitis, and scarring of the liver, known as fibrosis. If the...
Chronic liver disease is a broadly descriptive term encompassing many conditions and diseases that cause damage to liver tissue. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, up to 50 percent of chronic liver diseases are...
Alcoholic liver disease develops in people who consistently consume large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is a harsh chemical that the liver must filter out of the blood. If the liver is constantly filtering alcohol out of the blood, it may first...
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver, according to MayoClinic.com. There is an acute form that is over quickly, but at least 75 percent of people who contract hepatitis C develop the chronic form of the illness, which can linger...
The kidneys, bean-shaped organs located on either side of the abdomen, have multiple functions. They are an essential part of the urinary system and help concentrate waste products into urine for excretion. They also produce necessary hormones,...
If a person is considering organ donation, weighing the pros against the cons of the procedure is an important step in making a final decision. Many myths surround organ donation. MayoClinic.com dispels several of the myths, stating that a donor...
Cirrhosis -- or scarring of the liver -- is a serious disease that can block the blood and bile flow from your liver; in severe cases, a liver transplant is needed. Cirrhosis is often accompanied by malnutrition due to nausea and loss of appetite,...
If you have heart or lung disease, learn if you qualify for donating blood in this free video clip from a blood donation center.
Blood donations save lives. Learn the oldest and youngest age that you can donate blood in this free video clip from a blood donation center.
