​​​​​Who can get an intestinal transplant?

Intestinal transplants are for people who are unable to absorb or filter nutrients from their intestine, liver, pancreas, or stomach.

Some people will need only a transplant of their intestine (intestinal transplant). Others will need a combined transplant of both their liver and intestine. In rare cases, other organs in your abdomen like your pancreas and stomach may not work and may also need to be transplanted. This is called a multivisceral transplant.

Is a transplant right for me?

Transplant is not suitable for everyone, and it is also not a cure. With a transplant, you are exchanging sick organs for healthy ones, with the hope of living longer and having a better quality of life. It is important to know that getting a transplant involves a lifetime commitment to medical treatment, like taking daily medicines, going to clinic appointments, and doing regular bloodwork and other tests.

A transplant is offered only when all other treatment options have been tried.

Where are intestinal transplants done in Alberta?

The University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton is the only transplant centre in Alberta that offers intestinal transplant surgery.