Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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A single center coordinating the city's donation and transplant system, multidisciplinary medical teams in hospitals, a unique method of machine organ perfusion, psychological support for accepting changes in the body, and lifelong outpatient monitoring—Moscow's transplant service is developing in all areas, from opening specialized departments to developing new treatment methods. In five years, the number of organ transplants has increased more than 100%.twice.
Together with transplant surgeons, we discuss how we achieved such results and the path patients take.
Moscow doctors at the origins of transplantology
Moscow is among the world leaders in organ transplants. In 2025 alone, more than 800 such operations were performed. Residents of the capital receive life-saving treatment much faster than in cities in other countries. For example, the wait for a liver from a donor is about five months, and for a kidney, no more than a year, while in other countries this process can take up to five years. In recent years, the transplant service has been developing comprehensively. The Moscow Coordination Center for Organ Donation has become its core. Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center (MMNCC) named after S.P. BotkinHere, they keep track of people in need of a transplant, organize the management of donor organs, conduct laboratory testing, select optimal donor-recipient pairs, and distribute organs among patients on the waiting list. Priority is determined not only by the severity of the patient's condition but also by the compatibility of the donor organ with the patient. These key factors may vary depending on the type of transplant.
In addition to the Botkin Medical Scientific and Clinical Centre, transplants are performed at three other hospitals in the capital: N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care, Moscow Clinical Research Center (MCRC) named after A.S. Loginov AndMoscow Clinical Research Center (MCRC) "Hospital 52"They provide a full cycle of care—from examinations and transplant decisions to surgery and lifelong outpatient monitoring. Sklif has been and remains a pioneer in this area.
"Transplants are needed by people with terminal illnesses whose vital organs have completely or partially ceased functioning. In severe heart failure, for example, there is a high risk of cardiac arrest, while in pulmonary failure, a person cannot breathe without oxygen. An organ transplant can save a life or improve its quality. Our institute was at the forefront of global transplantation and made a significant contribution to it. Sergei Yudin, then chief surgeon at Sklifosovsky, performed the first blood transfusion in 1930, transplanting cells from a donor, to a person dying of blood loss. Another pioneer in our field, surgeon Vladimir Demikhov, worked at the institute and made a significant contribution to the development of transplantation worldwide. Christian Barnard, who performed the first human heart transplant, noted the influence of his work on the development of this field," said Mogeli Khubutia, president of the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care and chief transplant surgeon in Moscow.
In the 2000s, Sklifosovsky Institute opened the city's first liver, kidney, pancreas, and heart transplant departments. Today, they also perform lung transplants. In 2013, doctors performed a unique small bowel replacement surgery. Last year, they made another breakthrough: transplanting hand fragments. The institute also developed a new technique that allows for pancreas transplantation by connecting the blood supply through a single artery, rather than the two previously used. This allows for more frequent pancreas and kidney transplants in a single operation.
"I once operated on a young athlete with cirrhosis of the liver. Hospitals abroad couldn't help him. By the time he arrived here, his liver had already failed. We performed the surgery, and 15 years have passed since then. The man got married, became a father, and continues to play sports. Stories like these inspire us doctors," admitted Mogeli Khubutia.
Medicine with a name: where Sklif began and how it provides emergency care nowThe 3,000th kidney transplant was performed at the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care.A new pancreas transplant method has been developed at the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care.
High-tech surgeries and psychological assistance
A multidisciplinary team is formed for each patient requiring a transplant. It consists of various specialists, such as a physician, hepatologist, nephrologist, surgeon, and anesthesiologist-resuscitator. Such teams are also available at the A.S. Loginov Moscow Scientific Center, which performs liver and kidney transplants.
"During the waiting period and after the surgery, patients receive consultations from psychologists. They help them establish a relationship with their changed body (after all, a transplant is receiving an organ from someone else) and, if necessary, make lifestyle adjustments. If a patient is admitted in serious condition, they are immediately transferred to intensive care and placed on an urgent waiting list. Our department is equipped with a full range of high-tech equipment to perform such complex procedures. Combined surgeries require a high level of professionalism. Recently, we operated on a woman with polycystic liver and kidney disease. We removed the affected organs and simultaneously replaced them with donor organs. During the outpatient phase, patients undergo regular examinations and receive treatment adjustments. If complications arise, we identify them early," noted Ruslan Alikhanov, Head of the Organ and/or Tissue Transplantation Department at the A.S. Loginov Moscow Scientific Center.
The center has developed a new treatment approach for liver cancer. First, tumor growth is stabilized using transarterial chemoembolization. This minimally invasive technique blocks the blood vessels supplying the tumor and delivers chemotherapy to the tumor site. Then, transplantation begins. This technology offers a chance for those previously unsuitable for transplantation.
The center also plans to launch pancreas, lung, and heart transplant programs.
Machine perfusion of donor organs
Liver, kidney, heart, bone marrow, and cornea—these organs and tissues are transplanted at the Botkin Medical Scientific and Clinical Center. Particular attention is paid to scientific research in this area.
"We're moving step by step to make the postoperative period easier for patients. We're trying to identify patterns, identifying which complications arise and why. There are factors that can't be influenced, such as age and gender. However, organ preparation for transplantation can. Therefore, we've focused on improving machine perfusion technology. Its purpose is to preserve the organ's quality outside the bloodstream. An average of 10 hours pass between the time an organ is removed from the donor and the time it's transplanted. Even in modern solutions, cells die during this time. We've developed a technology for cold machine perfusion of the kidneys and liver. They are enriched with an oxygen-rich solution. This mimics blood flow, and the cells continue to function," noted Pavel Drozdov, Deputy Director for Research and Head of the Organ and Tissue Transplantation Department at the Botkin Medical Research Center.
Doctors went further and, for the first time in Russia, introduced the method of normothermic machine perfusion of kidneys ex vivo.
"We use cold perfusion when we know the organ is suitable for transplantation: it satisfies us in every way. But we often doubt the organ will function in the new body. This means we have to reject many transplant candidates. For example, high creatinine levels can indicate impaired kidney function, as well as other problems. We used to reject such kidneys, but now we check them using normothermic perfusion. The organ is enriched with a solution containing blood components, heated to body temperature. If it begins to disinfect the solution, that is, perform its function, it will do so in the body, and we decide whether to use it. This technology has increased the number of donor organs and reduced waiting times for patients," the mos.ru source explained.
Robotic Surgeons, Transplantation, and Research: How Botkin Hospital Became a Scientific and Clinical CenterRobotic Surgery and Science: The Director of Botkin Hospital on the Past, Present, and Future of the Legendary ClinicSobyanin announced a unique operation at the Sklifosovsky Research Institute.
Return to a full life
One of the leading schools of national nephrology has emerged at the Moscow Regional Research Center "Hospital 52"—today, its specialized center is among the strongest in the country. The opening of the transplant department has completed the cycle of providing care to people with kidney disease.
"The hospital specializes in kidney transplants—the most common type of organ transplant. First, the patient is counseled about the benefits and potential complications of the surgery, after which a decision is made jointly: continue dialysis (a procedure that temporarily takes over kidney function) or perform a transplant. Then, a comprehensive examination is performed to rule out any underlying medical conditions. If any are present, treatment is administered first, as such conditions can impact organ survival," emphasized Igor Miloserdov, Head of the Surgical Department of Organ and/or Tissue Transplantation at the Moscow Regional Research Center "Hospital 52."
Typically, the wait for a donor kidney takes no more than a year, but often this period is even shorter – up to three months.
"This is a record-breaking time. And the transplant fundamentally changes the patient's life. For example, people on dialysis are tied to a schedule of treatments, and women cannot carry a child to term. After a transplant, they have the opportunity to study, work, play sports, travel, and have children," the doctor concluded.
The high speed of care in transplantation is confirmed by real clinical cases, including those involving other organ transplants. As recently reported Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development, doctors City Hospital named after V.M. Buyanov and the Botkin Medical Scientific and Clinical Center saved the life of a man with severe liver damage. The patient presented to the clinic with a worrying symptom—yellowing of the whites of his eyes. He was promptly referred to the V.M. Buyanov Hospital, where he underwent comprehensive diagnostics and treatment, and then promptly underwent a transplant at the Botkin Hospital. Approximately three months passed from the initial visit to his discharge after the surgery. The patient has now fully recovered and returned to work and his favorite hobby.
The Birthplace of National Nephrology Services: How Hospital No. 52 Became a Clinical Research CenterMoscow doctors helped a heart transplant patient give birth to a healthy baby.Moscow doctors saved the life of a man with severe liver damage.
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