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| Transplant Unit |
Overview of the Transplant Unit |
What do we do?
The Transplant Unit, in close association with the University Department of Surgery, works to provide a transplant programme and associated care for patients locally, nationally and internationally.
The Unit provides care for people who need the following procedures:
Liver, small bowel and multi visceral transplantation is offered to patients throughout the UK and to the NHS entitled patients of Europe who have a reciprocal agreement with the UK. Kidney and pancreas transplants are offered at a regional level, primarily to patients of East Anglia.
What facilities do we have?
The Transplant Unit has a world-wide reputation for pioneering work. Over the last thirty years the facilities have been developed in order to provide good quality care to patients who come to us.
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This is centred on Ward C9 which has 22 beds. Also located on this floor, but managed and staffed separately, is the Transplant High Dependency Unit which has three beds and provides pre and postoperative care to transplant patients. The Unit has full monitoring facilities plus negative pressure ventilation. A fully equipped side room also provides the opportunity to care for patients who require isolation facilities. There are two transplant funded beds on the general Intensive Care Unit and one transplant funded intensive care bed on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. |
Outpatient Care
Two outpatient clinics are held weekly for pre and post operative liver transplant patients. One clinic is Consultant led and the other is nurse led focusing on health promotion aspects.
Two outpatient clinics are held weekly for pre and post operative renal transplant patients. One clinic is Consultant led and the other is nurse led. Surgical assessment clinics are held at various hospitals throughout East Anglia in order to provide our Regional referring hospitals with a local service.
Theatre
There is a dedicated operating theatre for transplant surgery
The multidisciplinary transplant team comprises of the following:
Ward C9 staff
High Dependency Unit staff
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Transplant Unit support staff
Consultant medical staff
We use a shared care approach involving both surgeons and physicians
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Other medical & surgical staff
Other multidisciplinary team members
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We are fortunate to have a number of visitors from overseas to the department who are with us to learn depending upon their experience and contractual obligations. They may also assist at surgical procedures.
Clinical expertise
The Unit has played a significant role in the research and evolution of clinical transplantation and has an international reputation. It benefits from the synergy of the University and the NHS working together to implement clinical research into routine practice.
Our achievements highlight the Unit’s progressive approach and include:
The first liver transplant outside the US (1968)
Introduction of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin into clinical practice (1978)
Pre-clinical development of the immunosuppressant drugs sirolimus and tacrolimus (1980s)
The world’s first combined heart, lung and liver transplant with Papworth NHS Trust (1986)
The first combined liver and pancreas transplant (1988)
The first small bowel transplant in United Kingdom (1992)
The first multivisceral transplant in the United Kingdom (1994)
Clinical transplantation in Cambridge has a considerable reputation for training which attracts a very high quality of staff at all levels. Whilst maintaining very active programmes in organ transplantation, clinical innovation has remained an essential thread throughout the history of transplantation at Addenbrooke’s.
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Nursing education and development
The Unit supports an environment where nurses work as part of an established team and where professional development is encouraged. The resources available for support and development are extensive such as:
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Patient care and quality assurance
Addenbrooke’s Transplant Unit exists to provide high quality specialist care. The Unit aims to support the patient and their family, around the time of their transplant or other period of illness. The teams working in the Unit believe that all patients should be cared for as equal individuals, and specialist nursing care is offered to those in need of it.
The success of all care depends upon accurate and appropriate intervention. They seek through skills, strength and knowledge to promote and develop people's confidence in their own ability to affect their health status in the long term.
Care is planned, implemented and evaluated using a systematic approach. All care is based on individual assessment, sound rationale and, when appropriate research exists, it is utilised. The teams working in the Unit believe that patients should participate in discussions about their health / illness management and are afforded privacy, respect, confidentiality and honesty. All members of staff on the Transplant Unit work together for the benefit of the patient in a friendly and supportive environment.
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| Maintained by
claire.jenkins@addenbrookes.nhs.uk
Updated 24/10/05 © 2005 Addenbrookes Hospital |
