The University clinical Center Tuzla hosted a press conference to mark the 25th anniversary of the first kidney transplant surgery. The press conference was attended by the assistant director for medical affairs, Assoc. Prof. Igor Hudić, assistant director for teaching and scientific research Prof. Dr. Ervin Alibegović, Prof. Dr. Senaid Trnančević, head of the Clinic for Urology, Ass. Prof. Samed Jagodić, head of the Department of Nephrology, Hemodialysis and Transplantation, Prof. Dr.Mirna Alečković-Halilović and coordinator of the transplant program at the University Clinical Center Tuzla, Dr. Lejla Vikalo.
The organizers aimed to showcase the accomplishments and future prospects for the development of transplant medicine at the University Clinical Center Tuzla and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the opening address, Assoc. Prof. Hudić highlighted that the first kidney transplant at the Tuzla University Clinical Center took place on September 15, 1999, marking a pivotal moment in the advancement of medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In the past 25 years, 505 solid organ transplants and hematopoietic stem cell transplants have been performed at the University Clinical Center Tuzla. We are the only center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one of the few in the region, that consistently performs hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Transplant medicine is a strategic priority for the University Clinical Center Tuzla, and to date, approximately 90% of all transplants in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been carried out at our institution, primarily using local resources. This success is the result of well-trained teams, effective organization, and adequate technical and material resources,” emphasized Assoc. Prof. Hudić.
Prof. Dr. Senaid Trnačević, a specialist in internal medicine and nephrology, discussed the early development of transplant medicine at the University Clinical Center Tuzla. In his address to the media, Prof. Trnačvić explained that the kidney transplant program at Clinical Center Tuzla was initiated in collaboration with transplant specialists from AKH Vienna in Austria. He extended special thanks to Prof. Dr.Ferdinand Müllbacher for his significant contributions to the project.
“Reflecting on the past, I recall that even before the war, our mentors aspired to establish transplant medicine in Tuzla. In 1998, the education of our staff began in Libek. Through our Slovenian colleagues, we then connected with Prof. Müllbacher from AKH Vienna, who had performed over 4,000 kidney transplants worldwide during his career. Upon Prof. Müllbacher’s arrival in Tuzla, on September 15, 1999, we successfully performed the first kidney transplant. Following this, our staff received further training in Vienna. The first 40 transplants were conducted under supervision, after which we began performing them independently. Our next goal is to join Eurotransplant and achieve a rate of 30 donors per million inhabitants annually,” said Prof. Trnačević.
Prof. Dr. Mirna Alečković- Halilović, Head of the Department of Nephrology, Hemodialysis, and Transplantation, emphasized that chronic kidney disease is a global public health issue, often leading to kidney failure and premature death. Today, it affects one in every ten people worldwide.
According to Prof. Dr. Alečković- Halilović, nephrologists played a key role in initiating the kidney transplant program, as dialysis patients are the most in need of transplants. Currently, around 80 percent of dialysis patients require a kidney transplant. “To date, a total of 350 kidney transplants have been performed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 253 of those carried out at Clinical Center Tuzla. This data shows that, over the past 25 years, on average, one kidney transplant has been performed per month at University Clinical Center Tuzla,” said Prof.Alečković- Halilović. She further emphasized that transplant medicine is a field that demands maximum dedication from doctors and medical staff, flawless organization, and the continuous promotion of organ donation.”
At the press conference, Ass. Prof. Samed Jagodić, Head of the Clinic for Urology, highlighted the satisfactory outcomes achieved, with a total of 253 kidney transplants performed to date, 46 of which were from cadaveric donors. “The success of transplantation is measured by patient and organ survival rates, and according to our analysis, our results are within the percentage range of leading transplant centers worldwide,” stated Ass. Prof. Jagodić.
Dr. Lejla Vikalo, Coordinator for the transplant program at University Clinical Center Tuzla, emphasized that the Clinic for Anesthesiology and Reanimatology is involved throughout the entire process of organ explantation and transplantation. This includes the determination of brain death, preparation for the organ and tissue explantation, and postoperative care for patients following organ transplantation. She noted that the process of determining brain death is detailed and complex, following multiple protocols to ensure precision and accuracy. Additionally, she highlighted a recent increase in awareness regarding the importance of organ donation.
As emphasized multiple times during the press conference, the advancement of transplant medicine relies heavily on highly educated healthcare personnel. Prof. Dr. Ervin Alibegović, Assistant Director for Scientific Research, discussed the importance of education and professional-scientific training. In his presentation, he highlighted expert scientific publications on transplant medicine authored by doctors at the University Clinical Center Tuzla.
Additionally, a festive academy titled “25 Years of Transplant Medicine at University Clinical Center Tuzla” was announced, scheduled to take place on September 26, 2024, at the Salis Hotel in Tuzla.
