What causes an organ to stop working?
Organ transplantation is a more common medical procedure today than in the past. People are living longer, which means that disease has a longer time to damage organs. Many diseases can lead to organ failure, including diabetes, cirrhosis, coronary artery disease, hepatitis C, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis. If you have been living with a serious chronic disease that has caused a major organ (such as your heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, or lungs) to fail, you may want to ask your doctor whether an organ transplant is an option for you. Decisions about whether you will need a transplant are usually made in consultation with a specialist.
