Lessons From 10,000 Organ Transplants, With Ari Cohen, MD

The Ochsner Transplant Institute recently performed its 10,000th organ transplant, becoming the first transplant center in Louisiana to reach the milestone.¹ The program, which performs kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas transplants, has also completed 4,000 liver transplants and 40 robotic-assisted kidney transplants, as >100,000 people in the US wait for an organ.¹ ²

In an interview with HCPLive, Ari Cohen, MD, director of the Ochsner Transplant Institute, discussed what the milestone reflects, how robotic surgery and organ preservation machines are expanding who can be transplanted, and where the biggest gaps in access remain.

HCPLive: What does reaching 10,000 transplants tell you about how transplant medicine has changed since Ochsner performed its first transplant?

Ari Cohen, MD: Reaching 10,000 transplants is really more than just a number. It reflects decades of experience that started back in 1970, when we performed the first heart transplant in the Gulf South, and it's led us to develop a comprehensive, high-volume transplant program that performs kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas transplants. I'm a surgeon, but to me, the success doesn't just lie with our surgical expertise. It really relies on multidisciplinary care, ongoing innovation, coordinated access for our patients, the trust of our patients, and the trust that we pass on to our donor families. It's a milestone that gives patients the opportunity to return home to their families healthy and go on to lead the lives they're supposed to live.

HCPLive: Ochsner recently reached 4,000 liver transplants. What have you learned about caring for patients before and after liver transplantation?

Cohen: All of our transplants are specialized endeavors, and with liver patients, we've really developed a long-term partnership. They don't just show up and get a transplant. It's a long-term relationship that we develop with our patients. There's a lot of management of their care prior to transplant, with coordinated care among our medical team, our surgical team, and the rest of our support services. We've developed it to be personalized for each patient, and we have different team support at every step of their pathway through transplant.

HCPLive: The program has also performed 40 robotic-assisted kidney transplants. Where do robotic approaches fit into kidney transplantation?

Cohen: We've learned that robotic-assisted transplant surgery really has a role within the transplant arena, and it's appropriate for a lot of our patients. It has allowed us to reduce recovery time from surgery and has increased our surgical precision. It has also allowed us to broaden the effort, so that people we previously thought were not candidates for transplant surgery can have it done robotically, get a successful transplant, and continue on with their lives. So it's really played a critical role in performing kidney transplants.

HCPLive: How have advances in organ preservation changed the number and types of organs that can be considered for transplantation?

Cohen: Some of the more recent machines that have become available for transplant are commonly called organ pumping machines, but we really view them as having a role in the rehabilitation of some of these organs. They allow us to get more information about the viability of an organ, and they tell us whether it would be a successful transplant or whether it's a usable organ at all. These machines have become critical for our decisions about whether an organ is suitable to transplant, and they've helped us expand the donor pool, because an organ previously thought of as not transplantable can become transplantable after spending some time on one of these machines.

HCPLive: More than 100,000 people in the US are waiting for an organ transplant. Where do you still see the biggest gaps in access?

Cohen: Our biggest gap is getting patients in to see us and providing an entryway into the system. We live in an area that is challenged with access, and we've created innovative ways to get people into our clinic. We have multidisciplinary clinics and one-day evaluations, and by providing better access, we hope to provide a pathway for people to move forward with transplantation.

HCPLive: Looking ahead, what developments could have the greatest impact on expanding access or improving outcomes?

Cohen: Obviously, it starts with donors and donor families. It's a difficult decision when somebody has passed away, and a donor family agreeing to donate is critical to maintaining access to available organs for our patients. But we've also created other pathways. We have robust living donor programs for both liver and kidney, so when a patient has a loved one, friend, or family member who is willing to donate, we allow them to donate and have a live donor transplant. That's the most ideal situation, and it lets people get transplanted faster with healthy, good organs and recover quickly. Then there's continuing to push on innovation. Using these machines and robotic techniques, all of these things have helped us expand access for our patients.

HCPLive: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Cohen: Our goal has always been patient focused. We always try to put the patient first, and if they're a suitable transplant candidate, we really try to get them a transplant and look forward to them having a successful life afterward.

Editor's Note: This transcript has been edited for clarity. Cohen reports no relevant disclosures.

References

1. Ochsner Health. Ochsner Transplant Institute performs 10,000th transplant surgery. News release. August 12, 2026. Accessed September 28, 2026. https://news.ochsner.org/news-releases/ochsner-transplant-institute-performs-10-000th-transplant-surgery/

2. Health Resources and Services Administration. Organ donation statistics. Accessed September 28, 2026. https://www.organdonor.gov/learn/organ-donation-statistics