A record number of kidney transplants are expected to be carried out this year after more than 110 were completed by June.
A rise in the number of living relatives donating a life-saving organ and the training of two specialist keyhole surgeons have led to the huge increase, which compares with 121 for the whole of 2010.
The National Renal Transplantation Team at Beaumont Hospital said the number could exceed the previous record of 172 kidney transplants in 2009.
The number of heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas donations from deceased people has also increased at the Dublin hospital.
Prof Peter Conlon, of Beaumont, launched two new videos and supporting booklets to tell the public what a kidney transplant involves at www.beaumont.ie/kidneyinfo.
He said the sharp increase in renal transplant activity was due to the living-related donor programme gaining momentum.
“Two more renal transplant surgeons have recently been trained in laparoscopic, or keyhole, techniques and up to 70 potential donors are likely to be evaluated under the living-related donor programme this year,” he added.
“It is likely Beaumont will complete in the order of 30 living donor transplants this year, which would be a significant increase on last year’s figure of 23.”
The first guide, Kidney Transplantation - A Guide For Patients, explains what is involved from a patient's perspective and the benefits and risks associated with kidney transplantation.
The second, Thinking About Donating A Kidney?, gives information for potential living donors on the various procedures involved in donation, the benefits and the associated risks.
Meanwhile, Prof Jim Egan, of the new National Office for Organ Donation and Transplantation, revealed the number of deceased donations at Beaumont has increased significantly, with 50 in the first six months of this year compared with 58 in the whole of last year.
“This has a significant positive effect on all types of transplant — heart, lung and liver as well as kidney and pancreas,” he said.
“I am optimistic that the new National Transplant Office will provide the sort of focus needed to maintain the improvements we are currently seeing.”