Why were transplants not successful before 1954?

Transplantation surgeries had been attempted long before 1954, but the lack of effective immunosuppressive medications made widespread success hard to achieve.

- Rejection: The body's immune system naturally recognises foreign tissue and attacks it. Without immunosuppression, the transplanted organ would quickly be rejected by the recipient's body.

- Lack of Knowledge: Immunology wasn't as advanced in the early 20th century, limited understanding of the immune response and tissue compatibility contributed to the high rate of rejection.

- Technical Limitations: Surgical techniques were not as precise, leading to complications and increased risk of infection and organ damage.

The breakthrough came in 1954 when Joseph Murray, MD successfully performed the first successful kidney transplant between identical twins, where the immune systems were nearly identical, reducing rejection risk. Additionally, the development of drugs such as azathioprine, prednisone, and later, cyclosporine, revolutionized transplantation by helping control the recipient's immune response.