Transplantation Expert Witnesses
The insight attorneys need on transplant surgery and care
Transplantation is a medical term that refers to transferring an organ or tissue from one body to another or from one part of the body to another. Types of transplantation include:
- Solid organ transplantation: transplantation of a solid organ such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or pancreas from a donor to a recipient.
- Tissue transplantation: transplantation of tissues such as skin, bone, corneas, and heart valves from a donor to a recipient.
- Stem cell transplantation: transplantation of stem cells, which are immature cells that can develop into various types of cells, from a donor to a recipient.
- Bone marrow transplantation: transplantation of bone marrow, which contains stem cells that produce blood cells from a donor to a recipient.
- Cellular transplantation: transplantation of cells, such as pancreatic islet cells, which produce insulin, from a donor to a recipient.
- Autograft: transplantation of tissue to the same person, whether done with surplus tissue, tissue that can regenerate, or tissues more desperately needed elsewhere.
There are two types of physicians who specialize in transplantation. Transplant surgeons specialize in performing transplant procedures. Becoming a transplant surgeon requires a medical degree, a general surgery residency, and a transplant surgery fellowship. Many transplant surgeons are affiliated with the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS).
Transplant physicians specialize in managing transplant patients before, during, and after transplantation, including monitoring their long-term health and prescribing immunosuppressive medications. Becoming a transplant physician requires a medical degree, a residency in internal medicine, and a fellowship in transplantation. Transplant specialists can be Board-Certified in transplant hepatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
The role of a transplantation expert witness
Transplant surgeons are essential expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases involving surgical errors during transplant surgery. A Board-Certified transplant surgeon can explain the applicable standards of care and offer an opinion on whether a surgical error caused the patient’s injury or complication. A transplant surgeon can also opine on the potential costs and long-term consequences of such an injury.
Transplant expert witnesses can also play an essential role in personal injury cases involving organ failure, whether due to injury or toxic exposure. A transplant physician can explain the cost of a transplant to treat the injury, the cost of immunosuppressants and other treatments to keep the body from rejecting the transplanted organ, and the patient’s long-term prognosis and quality of life.
Contact Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants today
Since 1986, Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants has been working with some of America’s leading medical malpractice and personal injury attorneys. We will serve as an integral part of your team from consultation to trial, and our network includes Board-Certified transplant physicians and surgeons who are prepared to offer compelling, objective testimony. Contact us today for a free case summary review.