In order to replace a damaged or missing organ, a recipient's body will receive an organ from the donor body during an organ transplantation surgery. It is possible for the donor and recipient to be in the same place, or organs may need to be moved from the donor site to the recipient site. Autografts are defined as organs and/or tissues that are transplanted within the body of the same individual. Allografts are recent transplants carried out between two members of the same species. Allografts can come from either cadaveric or live sources.
Successful organ transplants have been performed on the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, thymus, and uterine. Tissues include cornea, skin, heart valves, nerves, and veins (both of which are referred to as musculoskeletal grafts).