Transplantation: Catalan pioneers
Dr. Josep Maria Gil-Vernet
Dr. Antonio Caralps i Riera
Dr. Josep Maria Gil-Vernet
and Dr. Antonio Caralps i Riera
In 1963 the first transplant unit was created at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, led by urologist Josep M. Gil-Vernet and nephrologist Antonio Caralps.
A 2-year research project and experimental protocols with animals in a laboratory made it possible for Dr. Gil-Vernet to create two new renal transplantation techniques.
On the 23rd of July, 1965 the first renal transplant performed in Spain was successfully performed using a cadaver kidney.
Dr. Caralps was the first President of the SCT from 1984 to 1989.
Dr. Carles Margarit i Creixell
Dr. Carles Margarit i Creixell
At the end of 1983, Dr. Margarit began preparations for a Spanish liver transplantation programme, which culminated with the first liver transplant in Spain, performed by Dr. Margarit and Dr. Jaurrieta on the 23rd of February, 1984.
In June 1985 a pioneer paediatric liver transplant is performed in Spain at the Hospital Infantil Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona.
Dr. Margarit was President of the SCT during the period 2001-2004.
Dr. Josep Maria Caralps i Riera
Dr. Josep Maria Caralps i Riera and Dr. Josep Oriol Bonín
In May of 1984 Drs. Josep Maria Caralps and Josep Oriol Bonín performed the first transplant in Spain of a functioning heart, with positive results at the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.
Spain currently has 17 heart transplant centres, 4 of which are pediatric. According to the World Transplant Registry, 5% of all transplants are performed in Spain.
