There's a vital need for donors

The first heart-lung transplant carried out in the UK was in 1983 and there are now an average of nine transplants carried out each year in the UK.

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Although that may seem low in numbers, it is due to the fact that the availability of suitable donors is severely limited, and medical interventions continue to be the mainstay of most patients’ management.

The main reasons for the low number of donors for transplant operations are that firstly, most donated hearts are taken from people who are brain dead.