04/28/2008

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The numbers are now official and Clarian Transplant in Indianapolis has the highest volume pancreas transplant program in the nation. In 2001, there were a total of seven pancreas transplants performed; in 2007 that number soared to 84, which is an increase of 1,200 percent. The timing could not be better, as this announcement comes on the heels of Organ Donation Awareness Month.

"This is a great accomplishment for our transplant program," said Jonathan Fridell, MD, director of pancreatic transplantation, Clarian Transplant. "We have one goal within our center, and that is to see no one die waiting for an organ. Each person from the dieticians and pharmacists, to the nurses, social workers and physicians work toward this goal everyday. Each new pancreas represents one life saved, and their quality of life is improved."

Clarian Transplant has transplanted over 3,500 organs since 2001 (562 in 2007), which has saved and improved the lives of thousands of adults and children. Clarian Transplant has been consistently listed as one of the top five largest centers (by volume) since 2001. There are many reasons that this center has such a high volume of transplants, but one common reason is the clinical staff at Clarian Transplant. They do not want anyone to die waiting for an organ; they want to give everyone in need of an organ a chance.

Currently, Clarian Transplant has some of the shortest wait times in the country; for example, the average wait for a pancreas transplant is just over two months, compared to the national average of 16.8 months. The survival rates for pancreas transplants are at the national average for one year, and above the national average for three years of survival.

"This is a very aggressive program," said Joseph Tector, MD, director of Clarian Transplant. "By streamlining our entire program, we have become more efficient, increased our volume and most importantly, we have improved our outcomes."

Being aggressive is what has saved the lives of thousands of patients that see transplant as their final hope. In 2006, the first lung/pancreas transplant was performed at Clarian Transplant. Jose "Joey" Garcia suffered from cystic fibrosis, and as a result of the CF, was a diabetic.

"I was so fortunate to come to a pioneering program like Clarian," said Garcia. "My mother was worried about me choosing to do this surgery, since it had never been done. I did not intend to be a pioneer, but I suffered with CF for 25 years, and am happy that my experience gives hope to others." Garcia added, 'I not only have my lung function back, I also no longer have diabetes!"

Above average outcomes and high volume is what prompted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Division of Transplantation (DoT) to visit Indianapolis to learn more about Clarian Transplant. HRSA identified Clarian's transplant program as one of eight programs in the country to be replicated because of their best practices associated with high rates of organ acceptance and transplantation.

"We were excited that HRSA recognized our center as a benchmark for other centers across the country," said David Alvar, administrative director of Clarian Transplant. "We believe that sharing information from top performing transplant centers will raise the quality, awareness and success of organ transplantation for everyone."

Clarian Transplant is the only transplant center in Indiana, and one of very few in the nation to perform adult and pediatric organ transplants. Clarian Transplant is also the only center in the world to perform lung/pancreas transplants, a pioneering procedure to improve and extend the lives of persons living with cystic fibrosis.

"We have performed three lung/pancreas transplants at our center," added Alvar. "This is a very special transplant program here. We have the infrastructure and experience here, which allows us to be trailblazing. There are not many transplant centers in the world that are able to perform the type of transplants we do, nor do they see the volume that we have seen."

Although Clarian transplants a high number of patients, they know the availability of organs is dependent upon the precious gift of life from organ donors. Clarian Transplant works closely with the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO) to help educate the public about the gift of organ donation.

Groundbreaking research, favorable outcomes and trailblazing surgeries, combined with short wait times make it a wonder why this program is such a secret? Secret or not, the entire transplant team still has one goal: to not see anyone die waiting.

For more information on Clarian Transplant visit www.clarian.org/transplant.

For media inquiries contact James Wide at 317-962-4589.