Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Abdominal Organ Transplant Program Marks another Successful Year, with 262 Patients Receiving Kidney and Kidney-Pancreas Transplants in 2022

January 24, 2023

During the 2022 calendar year, 262 patients received kidney and/or pancreas transplants at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, which ties the highest annual total, first achieved in 2020.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist surgeons performed 249 kidney transplants (47 with living donors) and 13 kidney-pancreas transplants.

October 2022 was the busiest month in the history of the program, with 33 transplants performed.

In addition, the transplant team conducted more than 10,000 outpatient clinic visits and began twice-weekly transplant infectious disease clinics with Dr. Ryan Maves, professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Dr. Kevin High, professor of infectious diseases at the medical school and president of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.

“Transplantation is the ultimate team sport,” said Dr. Robert Stratta, director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Abdominal Organ Transplant Program and professor of surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “Our program’s history of success is a direct result of the dedication and expertise of our leaders, faculty and staff who work together to remain on the leading edge of research and clinical care and are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for our patients and improving their quality of life.”

In the 52-year history of the program, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist surgeons have performed 4,380 kidney, 294 kidney-pancreas, and 50 pancreas transplants since Dr. Jesse Meredith transplanted the first kidney at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in December 1970.

On average, the team currently performs a transplant every 33 hours and adds a patient to the waiting list every 22 hours.

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center performs more kidney and pancreas transplants than any other transplant center in North Carolina, and according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, is one of the largest transplant centers in a five-state region and one of the 25 most active in the United States.

Media contact: Joe McCloskey, jmcclosk@wakehealth.ed