Intestine Transplant FAQs
Reasons for an Intestine Transplant
The small intestine is the most important organ in the digestive system; more than 90% of the nutrients and water you absorb from food are absorbed by the small intestine.1 Because of this, it is comparatively much more difficult to survive without a functioning small intestine than it is without a stomach or large intestine.2
Intestinal failure is most frequently caused by short bowel syndrome, a condition where – due to trauma, congenital defect, or surgical removal to treat other conditions (such as Crohn’s disease) – the small intestines lacks enough functioning surface area to absorb sufficient nutrients for the body.3
How Many?
In 2024, there were only 7 intestine transplants performed in Pennsylvania, and 97 intestine transplants performed nationally. Nationally, intestine transplants were the least common transplant performed in 2024.4
Survivability Rates
Average Time on Waiting List
Approximately 41% of US intestinal transplant candidates spend between 6 – 24 months on the transplant waitlist, and approximately 34% spend more than two years on the waitlist7
Average Cost
Intestinal transplants are the third most expensive single organ transplant procedure, averaging an estimated cost of over 1.7 million dollars billed per procedure in the US in 2025.8
The cost of the individual procedure is not the whole picture, however. Prescription drug costs are also a major factor in overall financial burden. Transplant patients require lifelong immunosuppressant prescriptions in order to prevent their immune system from rejecting the donor organ. These medications can be costly depending on insurance coverage.
Travel costs are also a factor. There are only so many transplant centers in the United States, so prolonged travel is not uncommon for transplant patients receiving care, especially for rural patients, who already struggle with healthcare access. In Pennsylvania in 2024, 39% of transplant patients had to travel more than 150 nautical miles for their treatment. Nationally, that percentage increased to 46% for the same year.9
Risks
Aside from the usual risks of major surgeries, heart transplants incur several risk:
- Organ Rejection – The body has an adverse reaction to the donor organ
- Primary Graft Failure – The donor heart fails to function
- Bile leaks
- Intestinal leaks
- Medication side effects – Immunosuppressants needed to prevent organ rejection can cause kidney damage and increase the risk of infection and other medical issues
Barriers to Transplantation
Due to their comparative rarity, there are fewer transplant centers with dedicated intestinal units, meaning patients may have to travel further for care. There are only 17 active transplant centers in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network membership directory with dedicated intestine programs, compared to over 200 with kidney programs.10
How Can I Help?
The biggest barriers to transplantation are cost and supply. You can help address these issues by:
- Cleveland Clinic ↩︎
- Jackson Health ↩︎
- Columbia Surgery ↩︎
- Data from the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network ↩︎
- Data from the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network ↩︎
- Long-term outcome following heart transplantation: current perspective – PMC ↩︎
- OPTN Data ↩︎
- 2025 U.S. organ and tissue transplants: Estimated costs and utilization, emerging issues, and solutions ↩︎
- Data from the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network ↩︎
- OPTN Membership Directory ↩︎