Abstract
The number of transplant surgeries has risen steadily in the last 30 years in the United States (US), while the availability of donated organs has not kept pace with the clinical demands. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), every ten minutes someone is added to the national transplant waiting list. This has translated into a staggering statistic: on average, 20 patients die each day (which translates into 7,300 candidates a year) while waiting for a transplant. On average, 10%–20% of all heart, liver, and lung transplant candidates die before an organ becomes available. Therefore, transplant teams have become stewards of a very precious and limited resource.