On April 23, 2024, a significant milestone was achieved in the advancement of transplant medicine within Bosnia and Herzegovina through the initiation of cadaveric organ donation. This development marks a crucial step forward in the implementation of the transplant medicine project within the region. Liver and cornea transplant surgeries were successfully performed at the University Clinical Center Tuzla through collaborative efforts between the medical teams from Zenica Cantonal Hospital, University Clinical Center Tuzla, and Merkur Clinical Hospital in Zagreb. The liver explantation procedure at Zenica Cantonal Hospital was executed autonomously by the multidisciplinary team from the University Clinical Center Tuzla. Subsequently, the liver transplantation at University Clinical Center Tuzla was conducted under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Danko Mikulić and Assoc. Prof. Jadranka Pavičić Šarić from Merkur Clinical Hospital in Zagreb.
The early postoperative progress of the patients aligns with the executed surgery and the patients are currently in a hemodynamically stable condition.
“The collaborative model of domestic and international cooperation has given notable successes. The recent transplantation surgery represents a testament to the ongoing prioritization of transplantation as a key therapeutic endeavor within Clinical Center Tuzla. The recent liver transplant marks the first surgery of its kind performed since 2021, and I hope that the number of transplant surgeries will gain momentum, and that the number of transplant surgeries performed in the forthcoming period will be much higher. For us, the transplantation surgery project is extremely important, because in addition to offering patients a new chance for life, by improving transplantation medicine, we are also working on the development of all medical procedures.” said director Prof. Dr. Šekib Umihanić.
At the University Clinical Center Tuzla, explantation and transplantation surgeries are supported by different expert teams. These teams include professionals from the Clinic for Surgery and the Clinic for Anesthesiology and Reanimation, alongside specialists from the Polyclinic for Transfusion, the Polyclinic for Laboratory Diagnostics, the Hospital Pharmacy, the Institute for Psychological and Social Protection, and the Sector for Technical Affairs.
The University Clinical Center Tuzla expresses its great gratitude to the members of the donor’s family, but also to colleagues, supervisors from the Merkur Clinical Hospital from Zagreb, as well as to the members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton, who contributed to the faster transport of organs, which is extremely important in such cases.