So far in 2018, over 30,000 organ transplants have been performed, most of which were kidney, liver and heart transplants; however there are five less common procedures that push the limits of medicine, according to medical news website MDLinx.
Five uncommon transplants that pushed the limits of medicine:
1. Microsurgical toe-to-thumb transplants are "the gold standard" in the repair of thumb amputations. Surgeons remove a toe and shape it to look like a thumb. The transfer success rate for this type of transplant is more than 95 percent, although it is more cosmetic and does not allow the full range of motion as a thumb.
2. The first baby was born from a uterine wall transplant Dec. 5. The patient was born with a genetic disorder resulting in the absence of a uterus. The uterine wall transplant took surgeons 10.5 hours to link the veins, arteries, ligaments and vaginal canal. The patient was given immunosuppressive drugs, antibiotics and anticoagulants, and the eggs used for the pregnancy were harvested by in vitro fertilization.
3. Xenotransplantations are transplants that occur between two different species and can potential serve as a "unlimited" source for those in need of a transplant.
4. Hand transplant recipients receive either one or both hands along with a portion of the forearms they are attached too. This is another specialized transplant and is only performed in a few centers around the world.
5. Face transplants help recipients regain functionality and a sense of identity, when plastic or restorative surgery is no longer an option. A face transplant can involve the lower eyelids, skin tissues, muscles, bone structures, arteries, veins and nerves of the donor. Only about 40 face transplants have been performed worldwide. The U.S. had its first face transplant performed Aug. 15., at Cleveland Clinic.
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