Transplant Institute

Nationally recognized for its success with organ transplantation, Methodist University Hospital’s Transplant Institute has been a leader in the field for more than 30 years. One of the 12 largest programs in the country, the Transplant Institute serves Memphis, Tennessee, the Mid South and beyond. Partnering with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the program is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the life expectancy for its transplant patients through research breakthroughs, excellence in surgical techniques and meticulous post-operative care.

The organ transplant team offers hope to patients with conditions such as kidney failure, end-stage liver diseases such as cirrhosis, Hepatitis C and diabetes. Procedures include:

• Liver transplant
• Kidney transplant
• Pancreas transplant
• Kidney-pancreas transplant
• Organ splitting

Transplant Program History

The transplant program at Methodist University Hospital began in 1968 as the University of Tennessee Organ Transplant Program. The program’s first kidney transplant was performed in April of 1970, making it the sixth medical center in the United States to transplant a kidney. In 1982, we introduced the third liver transplant program in the country and in 1989 the transplant program began offering a treatment program for critically ill, diabetic patients with our kidney-pancreas and pancreas-only transplants.

Since its inception, the Institute’s transplant team has performed 940 liver transplants and a total of 1,891 total organ transplants. The liver transplant one-year graft survival rate at the Institute is among the highest in the nation at 87.57%. View our fact sheet in PDF form to learn more about our leading transplant in Tennessee program.

Transplant Facilities

The Transplant Institute’s facilities include:

• 2 dedicated operating rooms
• 8 bed ICU with patient and guest suites
• 31 inpatient beds on two units, designed to provide convenience, consistency and comfort for patients
• Transplant Clinic with 15 exam rooms for pre and post transplant care
• Off-site diagnostic imaging center with a dedicated transplant area

Organ Transplant Care Team

A multi-disciplinary team of experts -- including surgeons, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, financial counselors and technicians -- are dedicated to providing each patient with exceptional care. Many members of the team, including our University of Tennessee Health Science Center faculty physicians, are involved in clinical research and are actively advancing the science of transplantation. We offer our patients innovative technology utilizing pioneering research studies to reach their long-term health goals.

• Transplant Medical Staff. Jaquelyn Fleckenstein, M.D., is a trained hepatologist with an interest in cirrhosis. She has special interest in GI endoscopy and clinical research in transplantation. Satheesh Nair, M.D., joined the Transplant Institute as Director of Hepatology in 2006. Prior to joining Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute, Dr. Nair was the Medical Director of Liver Transplantation at Oschner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans.
• Organ Transplant Surgical Staff. James D. Eason, M.D., FACS, joined the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute as Program Director in 2006. Dr. Eason is known not only for his distinguished career in transplant surgery, but also for his extensive research in liver transplantation. Nosratollah Nezakatgoo, M.D., joined The UT Bowld/Methodist University Transplant Institute in 2000 as a transplant fellow in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. He was awarded a Letter of Appreciation in 1998 from the Minister of Health and Medical Education for Advancement in the History of the Iranian Medical Society for the first successful living donor liver transplant. Jason Vanatta, M.D., performed his multi-organ abdominal transplantation surgery fellowship at Stanford University. Luis Campos, M.D., performed his surgery residency and multi-organ fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. Kian Modanlou, M.D., is board certified and is a member of the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS), Regional Review Board.
• Transplant Nursing
  • Highly skilled nurses are essential to the success of the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute. Throughout all aspects of the transplant process, our nurses play a vital role in your transplant care, and include:
    • Clinical Nurse Specialist/Clinical Educators
    • Transplant Nurse Pre-Coordinators
    • Nurse Practitioners
    • Transplant Liaison Nurses
    • Post-Transplant Coordinators

Organ Transplant Outpatient Clinic

The Transplant Clinic provides pre and post-transplant care to kidney, liver and pancreas transplant patients.

• Pre-Transplant Evaluation. A good candidate for a transplant is determined by a full medical evaluation and input from several medical professionals. The organ transplant team performs this evaluation in the Pre-Clinic. This team is composed of the transplant surgeon, hepatologist/nephrologist, pre-coordinator nurse, financial case manager, and social worker. 
• Evaluation Process. The evaluation process begins with a referral from a potential candidate's primary care physician. The candidate then answers a variety of health and lifestyle questions. This information helps the transplant team decide the eligibility of the transplant candidate.
• Post-Treatment. Once a transplant is performed, patients transition from the Pre-Clinic to the Post-Clinic. The Post-Clinic team consists of transplant surgeons, hepatologists/nephrologists, nurse practitioners and post coordinator nurses. 

Patient & Family Resources

Established to promote and enhance quality of life, The Transplant Resource Center at Methodist University Hospital supports the educational, emotional, spiritual and financial needs of our transplant recipients, organ donors and their families.

• Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Transplant Frequently Asked Questions
• Life Stories from Transplant Recipients. Over the years, many of our patients have been grateful for their care and shared their stories to provide hope to others. From these stories, we developed Life Stories, a collection of inspiring words to encourage transplant patients and their families through the transplant experience.
• Living Kindly Transplant Support Group. Get the support you need with Living Kindly, monthly support group sponsored by Methodist Healthcare. The group is open to caregivers, family members, transplant candidates, donors and those who have had a transplant at our Tennessee Facility.

Partnership with University of Tennessee Health Science Center

The Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in conjunction with the University of Tennessee has been a leader in transplantation services since 1970 and is nationally recognized for excellence in research, innovation and patient care. Our surgeons perform more than 250 transplants each year which ranks the Methodist/UT center among the nation's top programs in the number of transplants performed.

The Transplant Institute has seen an expansion in the depth and quality of services in the last few years. In 2008 the program performed 121 liver transplants, ranked among the top ten programs in the nation. The surgeons and physicians also have the nation's largest experience in steroid-free immunosuppression protocols which aim to reduce side effects and improve outcomes in the posttransplant period. In addition, they have become the primary center in the Mid-South region in surgery of the liver, bile ducts and pancreas including many minimally invasive techniques which decrease patient discomfort and recovery time. The laparoscopic live-donor kidney program has expanded opportunities for kidney patients to receive high quality organs much more quickly than being on the waiting list while at the same time putting the donors at decreased risk for discomfort.

Helping the Transplant Resource Center

Gifts provide support for research, training and purchase of new equipment. Permanent gifts, or endowments, can provide ongoing support for a specific area of the Institute. Gifts can be made in the form of cash or appreciated securities. Contributions to the Transplant Resource Center Patient Emergency Grant Program provide financial assistance to organ transplant recipients, organ donors and their families.