Description

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The field of transplantation has grown exponentially over the last few decades, and leaders in the field may argue that we have seen only the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps in no other discipline is there a need for multidisciplinary dialogue, debate, and approaches to patient care. In preparing this book, we have attempted to introduce readers to a few of the key clinical and ethical issues confronting the field of transplantation today. In so doing, we recognize that the face of transplantation may change dramatically in the years to come. Nevertheless, the issues raised throughout this book will serve as a useful introduction to important clinical issues and as a catalyst for clinicians and researchers to expand the horizons of transplantation. Health professionals involved in evaluating and treating transplant patients must be knowledgeable of the indications for transplantation and patient outcomes and the process of evaluation and management. Chapters 1 and 2, focusing on solid organ transplantation and blood/marrow transplantation, provide this important contextual information. The next two chapters address what is often considered the most significant issue facing the field of transplantation - organ donation. While the number of patients needing transplantation has risen dramatically in recent years, the rate of organ donation has remained relatively stable. Chapter 3 highlights the many ethical issues surrounding the more general concept of organ donation, while Chapter 4 focuses specifically on the burgeoning interest in living organ donation.