Trends in Solid Organ Transplant Waitlists: Key Insights

A recent report from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) reveals significant trends in solid organ transplants for 2024, highlighting changes in the waiting lists for various organs. The OPTN/SRTR Annual Data Report, published on June 12, covers statistics from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2024, and indicates that in 2024, over 45,000 transplants were conducted. Notably, a patient was added to the transplant waiting list every ten minutes, representing a growing demand for organ transplants across the nation.

As of 2024, the total unique patients on the waiting list for solid organ transplants reached 167,230, with 70,600 patients added that year. Below are notable statistics segmented by organ type:

**Kidney**

The kidney transplant waiting list saw an increase, rising to 147,091 in 2024 from 139,715 in 2013. In that same year, there were 50,481 new additions to the kidney transplant list, which is a rise from 38,622 in 2013. Furthermore, kidney transplants increased to 28,492 in 2024, up from 17,658 a decade earlier. The report notes a significant rise in kidney transplants following circulatory death (DCD), which grew by 190.8%, amounting to 30.5% of all kidney transplants in 2024, compared to just 10.5% in 2013. However, about 29% of retrieved kidneys were not transplanted, a notable increase from 18.2% in 2013. Five-year survival rates for kidney transplant recipients from the 2017-2019 cohort were reported at 85.9%.

**Liver**

In contrast, the liver waiting list experienced a decrease, falling to 25,538 in 2024 compared to 28,484 in 2013. Nevertheless, new liver candidates on the transplant list rose to 15,395, up from 12,008. The number of liver transplants also saw an increase, reaching 11,458 in 2024, markedly higher than the 6,455 conducted in 2013. Notably, DCD liver transplants increased by 457.5%, comprising 26.7% of liver transplants in 2024 against just 4.8% in 2013. Approximately 11% of recovered livers were not transplanted, a slight rise from 9.7% previously. Five-year survival rates for liver transplant recipients stood at 81.8%.

**Heart**

The waiting list for heart transplants grew to 9,444 candidates in 2024, rising from 7,456 in 2013. Newly listed heart candidates increased by 50.6%, reaching 6,068 in 2024 compared to 4,030 in 2013. Heart transplants also increased, totaling 4,636 in 2024, up from 2,554 in 2013. DCD heart transplants represented 17.1% of the total in 2024, a significant increase from none reported in 2013. Approximately 2% of retrieved hearts remained untransplanted, up from 0.8%. The five-year survival rate post-heart transplant was reported at 80.6%.

**Lung**

The number of patients waiting for lung transplants increased slightly to 4,775 in 2024 from 4,257 in 2013. The number of new candidates added to the waiting list also rose to 3,822, compared to 2,575 in 2013. Lung transplants increased significantly to 3,404 in 2024, up from 1,947. DCD lung transplants spiked by 622.3%, representing 13% of all lung transplants in 2024, compared to just 1.8% in 2013. About 11% of recovered lungs were not transplanted, an increase from 6.7% previously. Five-year survival rates for lung transplant recipients were at 60.0%.

**Pancreas**

For simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplants, the waiting list grew to 3,721 patients in 2024, an increase from 3,428 in 2013. Conversely, the number of patients waiting for pancreas-alone or pancreas-after-kidney transplants dropped to 996 in 2024 from 1,536 in 2013. The number of new additions to the kidney-pancreas waiting list rose to 1,667, while those for pancreas-alone or pancreas-after-kidney transplants decreased to 312. The total pancreas transplants also saw a decline to 847 in 2024 from 1,018 in 2013. Approximately 25% of recovered pancreata were not transplanted, slightly up from 23.9% in 2013. Five-year survival rates for pancreas transplant recipients stood at 89.0%.

**Intestine**

Lastly, the waiting list for intestine transplants saw a minor decrease to 339 patients in 2024 from 349 in 2023. New additions to the intestine waiting list fell to 128 in 2024 compared to 180 in 2013. The number of intestine transplants held steady at 97 in 2024, compared to 109 in 2013. About 5% of recovered intestines were not transplanted in 2024, a decline from 9.9% in the previous years. Survival rates for intestine transplant recipients at five years were reported at 63.3%.

These trends highlight the dynamic nature of organ transplantation and the varying levels of demand and success associated with each organ type as analyzed in the recent OPTN report.