Organ and Tissue Transplantation in Grand Rapids, MI

Organ and tissue transplantation is a surgical procedure in which an organ, tissue, or group of cells is removed from one person (the donor) and transplanted into another person (the recipient), or moved from one site to another site in the same person.

In Grand Rapids and across West Michigan, organ and tissue donation and transplantation can be lifesaving and can significantly improve quality of life.

Local transplant-related care is often coordinated through major Grand Rapids health systems, including:

  • Spectrum Health (Corewell Health)
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
  • Mercy Health and affiliated clinics

These systems work closely with regional and national organ donation networks to care for patients before and after transplant.

Why Organ and Tissue Transplantation Matters

Organ and tissue transplantation can:

  • Save lives (for example, heart, lung, or liver transplants)
  • Restore major body functions (such as kidney function with a kidney transplant)
  • Improve quality of life (for example, corneal transplants that restore sight)

A common example is corneal transplantation. The cornea is the clear tissue that covers the front of the eye. While you can live without a corneal transplant, replacing a damaged cornea can restore vision and independence.

Because the recipient’s immune system can recognize transplanted organs or tissues as “foreign,” it may try to attack and destroy them. To reduce this risk, transplant recipients usually need medications that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants).

How Transplant Compatibility and Treatment Are Determined

The treatments and medications used after transplantation depend on:

  • The type of organ or tissue transplanted (for example, kidney vs. heart)
  • How closely the donor and recipient match (blood type, tissue type)
  • The recipient’s overall health and other medical conditions
  • Whether the donor is living or deceased

Your transplant team in Grand Rapids will typically include surgeons, transplant physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and social workers who work together to design a personalized care plan.

Types of Transplants

1. Autograft (Transplant Within the Same Person)

A transplant from one part of your own body to another part is called an autograft, and the process is called autotransplantation.

Common examples of autografts include:

  • Skin grafts
    • Healthy skin is moved to cover and help heal a wound or burn on another part of the body.
  • Blood vessel grafts (bypass surgery)
    • A vein or artery (often from the leg or chest) is used to create an alternate route for blood flow to bypass a blocked artery, such as in heart bypass surgery.
  • Bone grafts
    • Bone is taken from one area (such as the pelvis) to reconstruct damaged bone, for example in spinal fusion or after a fracture.
  • Bone marrow collection before chemotherapy
    • In some cancer treatments, bone marrow or blood stem cells are collected before high-dose chemotherapy and then returned to the patient afterward to replace damaged blood-forming cells.

Advantages of autografts:

  • The body is very unlikely to reject its own cells or tissues.
  • Long-term immunosuppressive medications are usually not needed.

Disadvantages of autografts:

  • The tissue retrieval site creates an additional wound that must heal.
  • Recovery can be longer because more than one surgical area is involved.

Autografts are commonly performed in Grand Rapids hospitals, especially for burns, orthopedic surgery, and some cancer treatments.

2. Allotransplant (Transplant Between Two People)

A transplant between two people who are not genetically identical is called an allotransplant, and the process is called allotransplantation.

Donor organs and tissues can come from:

  • Living donors
    • Often for kidneys or part of the liver.
  • Deceased donors
    • Typically individuals who have died from a severe brain injury or lack of circulation and whose families consent to donation.

Immune rejection and immunosuppressants

In allotransplantation, the recipient’s immune system may recognize the donor organ or tissue as foreign and attack it. This is called rejection. To lower the risk of rejection, recipients often need to take immunosuppressive medications for life.

These medications can increase the risk of infections and some long-term health issues. If you are concerned about the long-term risks of immunosuppressants:

  • Talk with your transplant team at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health.
  • Ask about monitoring plans, vaccines, and lifestyle changes that can help protect your health.

3. Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GvHD)

For some transplants—especially bone marrow or stem cell transplants—there is another possible complication. The donated immune cells can see the recipient’s body as foreign and attack it. This is called graft-versus-host disease (GvHD).

Doctors Can Take Steps to Reduce the Risk of GvHD

To lower the risk or severity of GvHD, transplant teams may:

  • Carefully match donor and recipient tissue types (HLA matching)
  • Use medications to suppress the immune response
  • Modify or filter donor cells before transplant
  • Monitor closely for early signs of GvHD and treat promptly

If you are considering or preparing for a bone marrow transplant in Grand Rapids, your hematology/oncology team will explain your individual risk and prevention strategies.

4. Isograft (Between Identical Twins)

A transplant between identical twins is called an isograft. Because identical twins share the same genetic makeup:

  • The risk of rejection is extremely low.
  • Long-term immunosuppressive medications are usually not needed.

Isografts are rare but offer the best possible compatibility.

5. Xenotransplant (Between Species)

A transplant between different species is called a xenotransplant, and the process is called xenotransplantation.

A common, well-established example:

  • Heart valve replacements from animals (bioprosthetic valves)
    • Heart valves from cows (bovine) or pigs (porcine) are used to replace faulty human heart valves.
    • These animal valves are treated before use to reduce the risk of rejection and improve durability.

Other options for heart valve replacement include:

  • Human donor valves (allotransplant)
  • Mechanical heart valves

Cardiac surgeons in Grand Rapids routinely discuss these options with patients, considering age, lifestyle, and the need for blood thinners.

Organs, Tissues, and Cells That Can Be Transplanted

Commonly transplanted organs include:

  • Heart
  • Kidney
  • Liver
  • Lung
  • Pancreas
  • Stomach
  • Intestine

Commonly transplanted tissues include:

  • Cornea (clear tissue at the front of the eye)
  • Bone
  • Tendons
  • Skin
  • Pancreas islet cells
  • Heart valves
  • Nerves
  • Veins

Commonly transplanted cells include:

  • Bone marrow
  • Blood stem cells

In some cases, limbs (such as hands, arms, or feet) can also be transplanted.

Single-Organ and Multi-Organ Transplants

Most transplants involve a single organ, such as a kidney or liver. However, multi-organ transplants are also performed, though less frequently.

Common multi-organ transplants include:

  • Heart and lungs
  • Pancreas and kidney

These procedures are complex and require specialized transplant centers. Patients in Grand Rapids may receive evaluation and long-term care locally, with surgery sometimes coordinated through larger regional transplant programs.

Organ Transplantation in Michigan: Demand and Impact

Across the United States and in Michigan, thousands of people wait for an organ transplant:

  • For many, it is a matter of life and death.
  • One organ donor can save up to 7 lives and help many more through eye and tissue donation.

In West Michigan, kidney disease, heart disease, and diabetes are common, and cold winters can worsen heart and lung conditions. This makes access to transplant evaluation and ongoing care especially important for residents of Grand Rapids and surrounding Kent County.

Seasonal and Local Health Considerations in Grand Rapids

Living in Grand Rapids and the broader Great Lakes region can affect transplant care:

  • Cold winters and snow
    • Increased risk of respiratory infections and flu, which can be more serious for people on immunosuppressants.
    • Higher risk of falls and injuries that may complicate recovery after surgery.
  • Seasonal flu and COVID-19
    • Vaccinations are especially important for transplant recipients and those on the transplant waiting list.
  • Chronic disease patterns in Michigan
    • Higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease can lead to kidney and heart failure, increasing the need for transplants.

Your care team will help you plan for seasonal risks, including vaccines, infection prevention, and safe activity during icy months.

How to Register as an Organ and Tissue Donor in Grand Rapids, MI

If you would like to become an organ and/or tissue donor in Michigan, you can register your decision in several ways. Registering means that, in the event of your death, your wish to donate is known and can be honored.

Ways to Register Your Organ Donation Decision

You can:

  • Register online in about a minute
    • Visit the Michigan Organ Donor Registry through the Michigan Secretary of State website.
  • Register when you renew your driver’s license or state ID
    • At any Secretary of State office in Grand Rapids or Kent County, you can ask to be added to the donor registry.
  • Register by mail
    • Request a paper form from the Michigan Organ Donor Registry and mail it back.

Be sure to:

  • Talk with your family and close friends about your donation decision.
  • Let them know that you are registered as an organ and tissue donor in Michigan.

This conversation is important because your family may be asked to confirm your wishes.

Transplant Care in Grand Rapids: What to Expect

The approach to transplantation varies greatly depending on the type of transplant. Your medical team will discuss:

  • Surgical procedures
    • What happens before, during, and after surgery.
  • Recovery
    • How long you will stay in the hospital and what to expect at home.
  • Medications
    • Which immunosuppressants or other drugs you will need, and for how long.
  • Lifestyle changes
    • Diet, exercise, infection prevention, and follow-up visits.

Major health systems in Grand Rapids often coordinate:

  • Pre-transplant evaluation and testing
  • Referral to regional transplant centers when needed
  • Long-term follow-up care close to home

Local Resources for Transplant Patients and Donors in Grand Rapids

If you live in Grand Rapids or Kent County and have questions about organ and tissue transplantation, you can seek help from:

  • Your primary care doctor (GP) or family physician
    • Often your first point of contact for referral to a transplant specialist.
  • Spectrum Health (Corewell Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health
    • For transplant evaluation, cardiology, nephrology, hepatology, and surgical care.
  • Kent County Health Department
    • For vaccinations, infectious disease information, and public health support.
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and community clinics
    • For preventive care, chronic disease management, and support services.
  • Donate Life Michigan
    • For information on organ and tissue donation, education materials, and donor registration support.

If your local clinic or hospital offers nurse advice lines, they can provide 24/7 guidance on symptoms, medications, and when to seek urgent care.

Key Points About Organ and Tissue Transplantation

  • Transplantation can save lives and significantly improve quality of life for people in Grand Rapids and across Michigan.
  • An autograft uses your own tissue, so long-term immunosuppressants are usually not needed.
  • An allotransplant (between different people) carries a risk of rejection; lifelong immunosuppressive medication is often required.
  • Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a potential complication of bone marrow and stem cell transplants, but doctors can take steps to reduce the risk.
  • Animal (bioprosthetic) heart valves are treated to reduce immune rejection and are commonly used in heart valve surgery.
  • Multi-organ transplants, while less common than single-organ transplants, are performed each year; common combinations include heart–lung and pancreas–kidney.
  • Organ and tissue donation in Michigan is coordinated through the Michigan Organ Donor Registry and organizations like Donate Life Michigan.
  • Talking with your family and registering as an organ donor are powerful ways to help others in Grand Rapids and beyond.