HUG - University Hospitals of Geneva

University Hospitals of Geneva: 40 years of transplant expertise

In autumn 2011, the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) marked their 40th anniversary in the field of transplants with a big first. They were the first to perform two crossover kidney transplants, one after the other, putting them in a leading position in Switzerland.

By increasing the opportunities for transplants from live donors, crossover donations bring new hope for patients waiting for a new kidney. In order to optimise this practice, the hospitals have taken the initiative of organising a national register to coordinate crossover donations.

Due to the development and promotion of new practices in the transplant field, the University Hospitals have demonstrated yet again their expertise in organ donation. They have not ceased to increase this expertise over the past four decades. In 1970, the hospitals carried out their first organ transplant using a kidney. Forty years later, they added a world first to their list of achievements (a small intestine transplant between twins), and have often been the first hospital in Europe or in Switzerland to perform certain types of transplants. In 2010, HUG performed 85 transplants.

Since an agreement signed in 2004 between the cantons of Geneva and Vaud established the distribution of transplants according to type of organ, the University Hospitals have made a name for themselves as liver transplant specialists, particularly for children. The hospitals are the only centre in Switzerland to perform paediatric liver transplants.

To find out more about the history of transplants in Geneva, on the fields of expertise (transplants of Langerhans' islets, paediatric liver transplants, etc.) and their prospects, see the press kit (French).

To find out more about crossover kidney transplants, watch the Pulsations TV programme from November 2011 on DailyMotion or YouTube.

To find out more about University Hospitals of Geneva, visit www.hug-ge.ch