A century ago, organ transplants were the stuff of science fiction. But a handful of experimental surgeons believed that transplants were not just possible – they had the potential to save thousands of lives. Then, in 1954, a man agreed to donate his kidney to his twin brother – and one surgeon finally got his chance to prove the doubters wrong.You can binge ... Show More
Apr 2025
Interview: How do kidney transplants work? | Alexander H. Toledo
In 1954, Joseph Murray attempted a type of kidney swap that no doctor had tried before. The surgery was a success, and the patient would go on to live with the transplanted organ thanks to one key factor: it came from his identical twin. 70 years later, nearly 100,000 kidneys are ... Show More
23m 31s
Jun 2025
The Organ Transplant Revolution Starts Here
At any given moment, more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant. Every day, 17 of them die waiting. This is a story of survival, bravery, and a medical breakthrough that could solve everything – using organs from animals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ... Show More
28m 27s
Oct 2016
Episode 29 - Halloween Edition
In this episode, we take on the controversial and strange subject of cephalosomatic anastomosis, better known as a head transplant. Although never done before in humans, there is both a surgeon and a patient willing to try this in the near future! We'll take a look at the surpris ... Show More
13m 53s
Oct 2024
The Twin Brothers Who Brought America EMTs, 911 Dispatchers - and Saved Millions of Lives
On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of how identical twin brothers—a doctor and a lawyer—collaborated with scores of unsung heroes to modernize emergency medical services, help create the physician assistant profession, help write the model law for organ do ... Show More
27m 27s