Number of patients active on organ transplant waiting list in Sweden 2020-2022

The most common need of organ to be transplanted in 2022 was the kidney, with 1,129 patients on the transplant waiting list during that year (counted as the total number of patients ever active on the waiting list during the year). For all three years shown, a new kidney was the most demanded organ to be transplanted. 

Highest activity rate for kidney transplants

The rate of organ transplantation activity for kidneys in Sweden was slightly higher in 2021 than the previous year. In 2021, the kidney transplant activity rate was 43.6 per million population. The corresponding figure for liver transplantation, the second most needed organ, was 16.7 per million population.  

Highest death number on the waiting list for kidney patients

Despite the high activity rate for kidney transplants, the number of patients in need is too high for the supply, and the highest number of deaths among patients on the organ transplant waiting list was for kidney patients. In 2021, 22 patients died that were on the organ transplant waiting list for a new kidney.