Best Locally, Regionally and Nationally
Thomas Fishbein, MD, director of the Georgetown Transplant Institute, is a leading expert in liver, pancreas and intestinal transplantation.
Last July, Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center (both MedStar hospitals) merged their transplant programs to form the Georgetown Transplant Institute. This newly developed institute combines the world class expertise of transplant surgeons, nurse coordinators, social workers and practitioners from both hospitals, along with the clinical research capabilities of the MedStar Research Institute and Georgetown University Medical Center.
The collaboration that drives the Georgetown Transplant Institute directly benefits all patients in the region who are in need of a kidney, liver, pancreas or small bowel transplant. These patients and their physicians can rely on the Institute to provide internationally acclaimed care and open communication with primary care physicians throughout the course of care.
Following are some of the current hallmarks of the Georgetown Transplant Institute.
Shortest Time to Transplant of Any Liver Transplant Center in the Baltimore Washington Region
With promptly scheduled evaluations and a full transplant team that meets every week, patients at the Georgetown Transplant Institute are listed quickly and accurately so they can begin acquiring points on the national transplant list. It’s that kind of commitment that gets your patients transplanted as soon as possible—and gives them their lives back.
Georgetown’s average time to transplant is eight months compared to 20 and 28 months at centers in the Baltimore Washington region.*
One-Year Adult Liver Transplant Survival Rates Are the Highest in the Mid-Atlantic Region
When a patient needs a liver transplant, physicians want to refer them to a transplant center that is comprehensive, clinically excellent and focused on returning them to a fuller life. The Georgetown Transplant Institute routinely accepts patients who are medically complex, yet its survival rates remain extraordinary. (See graph below.)
Pediatric Liver Transplant Survival Rates are Well Above the National Average, and Among the Best in the Country
Physicians with pediatric patients in need of a liver transplant can rely on the Georgetown Transplant Institute for outstanding levels of care. The Institute’s pediatric liver transplant survival rates are well above the national average and among the best in the country. In fact, the Institute’s one year pediatric graft survival rates are higher than programs in Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Georgetown University Hospital also offers a dedicated pediatric transplant unit, which is newly designed to meet the unique needs of pediatric patients and their families. (See chart below.)
Highest Liver Transplant Volumes of Every Program Between Pennsylvania and Georgia
Physicians who refer patients for liver transplants know that volume matters, as clinical expertise comes with higher volumes. The Georgetown Transplant Institute’s liver transplant volumes have outpaced other transplants programs between Pennsylvania and Georgia.*** This, coupled with the extraordinary survival rates and time to transplant ratings, make the Georgetown Transplant Institute the best choice among all transplant centers in the region. (See graph below.)
Rate of Kidney Transplantation Doubled Since 2008
The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients recently reported that Georgetown’s kidney transplant program doubled the rate at which patients were transplanted since 2008. Georgetown transplanted 32 percent of the patients on its waiting list, which is almost double the national rate of 18 percent. The result is that patients with end-stage kidney disease or on dialysis receive new kidneys faster at Georgetown.
Keith Melancon, MD, surgical director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at the Georgetown Transplant Institute utilizes advanced medical and surgical techniques to expand transplant options for patients.
Sophisticated Technology, Programmatics and Infrastructure in Kidney Transplantation
- Georgetown uses a dual process of plasmapheresis and IV immunoglobulin to desensitize ABO- or HLA-incompatible kidney donors and recipients.
- Paired-donor exchanges in conjunction with Washington Hospital Center and other hospitals find suitable kidneys for patients who do not have a donor with an exact blood match.
- A solid infrastructure with on-site apheresis and HLA labs, blood bank and other capabilities to expedite treatment.
- Patients and their families have fully-furnished apartments available less than one mile from the hospital.
- Georgetown was the first hospital in the mid-Atlantic region to perform laparoscopic-assisted live donor liver resection, and intestinal and multi-visceral transplants.
“The Georgetown Transplant Institute integrates exceptional clinical care, social support and medical research, which lead to breakthrough treatments that we expect will change the future of medicine,” said Thomas Fishbein, MD, director of the Georgetown Transplant Institute. “Fifteen years ago, we could hardly imagine doing liver transplants on children, or replacing the intestine for someone who could not eat. Now we do it every day. Our team strives to continually advance transplant medicine to bring concepts to reality and offer patients the highest quality care possible.”
For more information or a consultation:
Georgetown Transplant Institute
202-444-3700 or 1-800-442-4200
* From the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, center and OPO-specific reports accessed February 9, 2011 (volumes of transplants for patients of all ages since 1999)
** From the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, center and OPO-specific reports accessed December 21, 2010. Transplant programs performing more than 10 pediatric liver transplants per year, January 1, 2007 – June 30, 2009. Volume data based on transplants for patients of all ages since 1999.
*** Based on Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data. Volume data based on transplants for patients of all ages since 1999. Pediatric graft survival rates for centers performing 10 or more pediatric liver transplants per year.
