1,244
Transplant Surgeons
100%
Accepting patients
81%
Most common: MD
FindClarity lists 1,244 transplant surgeons nationwide. 100% are currently accepting new patients. The most common credential is MD (81%). 72% accept Medicare.
Transplant surgeons perform organ transplantation: kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, and intestinal transplants. They manage the surgical aspects of both living-donor and deceased-donor transplant procedures, and they follow transplant recipients long-term in coordination with transplant medicine physicians.
After medical school, transplant surgeons complete a general surgery residency (five years) followed by a two-year transplant surgery fellowship. Their fellowship covers organ procurement, complex vascular surgery, immunosuppressive management, and post-transplant complications. The training is highly specialized, and transplant surgeons typically practice at major academic medical centers.
Organ transplantation is one of medicine's greatest achievements. More than 40,000 organ transplants are performed annually in the United States. Kidney transplants are the most common, followed by liver transplants. Outcomes have improved dramatically: the average kidney transplant lasts 15 to 20 years, and most transplant recipients return to active, productive lives.
See a transplant surgeon when you are being evaluated for organ transplant listing (end-stage kidney disease, liver failure, heart failure, lung disease), when you are interested in being a living donor, or when you have been referred by your specialist (nephrologist, hepatologist, cardiologist) for transplant evaluation. Transplant teams include surgeons, physicians, coordinators, social workers, and other specialists who evaluate candidates as a group.
The transplant evaluation is extensive, spanning multiple days and involving medical testing (blood work, imaging, cardiac testing), psychological evaluation, social work assessment, financial counseling, and educational sessions. The transplant surgeon will explain the procedure, risks, expected outcomes, and the lifelong commitment to immunosuppressive medications. If approved, you are placed on the transplant waiting list managed by UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing). Wait times vary by organ, blood type, and geographic region.
Transplant evaluation: covered by insurance · Kidney transplant: $250,000-400,000 · Liver transplant: $500,000-800,000 · Immunosuppressive medications: $1,000-3,000/month
Wait times vary significantly. Kidney transplant wait times average three to five years in many regions, though living-donor kidneys can bypass the waiting list. Liver transplant waits depend on disease severity (MELD score). Heart and lung transplants may be shorter or longer depending on blood type, body size, and severity. A living donor (for kidney or liver) can dramatically reduce or eliminate wait time.
Surgical risks include bleeding, infection, and blood clots, similar to other major surgeries. The unique risk of transplantation is organ rejection, where your immune system attacks the new organ. Lifelong immunosuppressive medications minimize this risk but increase susceptibility to infections and certain cancers. Transplant teams monitor for these complications with regular follow-up visits and lab work.
Yes, for certain organs. Living kidney donation is common and safe, with a healthy remaining kidney compensating fully. Living liver donation involves donating a portion of your liver, which regenerates. Living donors undergo thorough medical and psychological evaluation to ensure safety. Donor surgery is covered by the recipient's insurance, and most donors return to normal activities within four to six weeks.
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Organ transplantation is covered by medical insurance, including Medicare (which covers kidney transplants for all end-stage renal disease patients regardless of age). Transplant evaluation, surgery, hospital stay, and immunosuppressive medications are all covered benefits. Post-transplant medications are lifelong and expensive. Medicare covers immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients. For other organs, coverage varies by plan. Financial counselors at transplant centers help navigate coverage.