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How do kidney transplants work? - Alexander H. Toledo

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In 1954, Joseph Murray attempted a type of kidney swap that no doctor had tried before. The surgery was a success, and the patient would go on to live with the transplanted organ thanks to one key factor: it came from his identical twin. 70 years later, nearly 100,000 kidneys are transplanted annually in the US alone. So how does this surgery work today? Alexander H. Toledo explains the procedure.

Organ transplant surgeries have come a long way since their inception in the 1930's. What do you think the most important factor in patient safety and longevity is and why?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alexander H. Toledo
  • Director Biljana Labović
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Mengxin Li
  • Art Director Mengxin Li
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Produced by Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Script Editor Nidhi Upadhyaya
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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