Research and development offers today’s transplant candidates and recipients greater than average survival rates for heart, liver, lung and other vital organ transplants and medical experts are looking into new drugs and treatments, including adult stem cells or other stem cell therapies that may aid further reduction of rejection and increase survival rates for transplant recipients.

The most commonly performed organ transplant procedures today include lungs, kidneys, the pancreas, skin, bone, corneas, heart transplant, heart valves and arteries, veins and tendons, especially for those experiencing sports injuries.

But look at the cost of some major organ transplant surgeries in the U.S. Costs include the organ procurement costs, hospital stay, physician, evaluations, follow-up and drugs to reduce rejection:

• Heart – $658,000
• Liver – $519,000
• Kidney – $246,000 (per kidney)
• Lung – $ 400,000 (single)

The good news is that people have options. Facilities around the world offer modern atmospheres, high-tech equipment and technology, and surgeons are highly trained and experienced and accredited in their home country or by the International Joint Commission.

In India for example, costs offer those in dire need of transplant hope. There a kidney transplant costs around $19,800 and a liver transplant might cost up to $45,000. Travel to Jordan, Turkey and Singapore and you’ll find affordable, experienced and qualified care, not because medical care abroad offers less quality, but because medical malpractice insurance is much lower and healthcare systems are set up differently than in the U.S. From heart valve replacement surgery to orthopedic bone transplants to skin grafts to Achilles tendon repair, global medical facilities offer options for your health care needs.