Economic considerations in abdominal transplantation

Care for end-stage organ failure through transplant is one of the landmark accomplishments of the modern medicine. At the same time, organ transplant is a resource-intensive service that has been under increasing scrutiny in this era of cost containment. A detailed understanding of the economic implications of organ quality, recipient characteristics, and allocation policy is vital for the transplant professionals. Prior studies of kidney transplant economics demonstrate significant cost savings achieved by eliminating the need for long-term dialysis. However, transplant providers are experiencing higher financial costs because of changes in recipient characteristics. Liver transplantation economics are also more challenging because of organ allocation based on the severity of illness. Furthermore, the broader use of marginal organs has been demonstrated to increase costs. Novel strategies are vital to reduce the financial burden faced by the centers that perform transplantations on elevated risk patients and utilize lower quality organs.