# Organ transplants

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-transplants/11316>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2000, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-transplants/11316 "2000-04-28T05:51:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-transplants/11316/1 "2000-04-28T05:51:00Z")

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If I receive an organ transplant from a 20 year old, live 20 more years, die in an auto crash(after signing my donor card) the organ is transplanted in another person, who lives 20 years,(or longer), dies in an accident, the organ is re-transplanted, and so on & so on, how long could this go on? Assuming the organ was healthy in the first place, wasn’t rejected, etc., how many years could an organ go if it was continually transplanted into an otherwise healthy host? 100 years? Forever?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-transplants/11316/2 "2000-04-28T06:00:00Z")

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This was discussed earlier in this forum, but I believe the consensus was that we don’t recycle organs. Too many compabitibility problems.

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**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/organ-transplants/11316/3 "2000-04-28T20:48:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by BobT:  
> **This was discussed earlier in this forum, but I believe the consensus was that we don’t recycle organs. Too many compabitibility problems.**

Let me hijack with a similar question:

Let’s say I have a relative whose kidneys have failed. I’m compatible, so I donate one of mine. The transplant is successful.

Later, my relative dies from something unrelated to his kidneys. Since it’s safer in the long run to have a spare, would they give my healthy kidney back to me?

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On On