What Is Organ Rejection and How Is It Managed?
A critical concern in the field of organ transplantation, organ rejection is a phenomenon that occurs when a recipient's immune system perceives a transplanted organ as foreign tissue. Subsequently, this triggers a series of immune responses aimed at destroying or damaging the transplant. This reaction is driven by the body's natural defence mechanisms, which are programmed to identify and eliminate foreign substances. However, this natural response poses a significant challenge when its target is an organ that’s been transplanted specifically to save the recipient or improve their quality of life. The Two Types of Organ Rejection There are primarily two types of organ rejection: hyperacute rejection and acute rejection. Hyperacute rejection is a rare but severe form of the condition that takes place almost immediately after transplantation, usually within minutes to hours. It arises when pre-existing antibodies in the recipient's blood strongly react against the transpl