Edinburgh has a long association with solid-organ transplantation.
The first renal transplant in the United Kingdom was performed in Edinburgh at Leith Hospital on the 30 October 1960 by Sir Michael Woodruff.
Early renal transplants were also undertaken in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Between 1968 and 1995 the renal transplant program was located in the purpose-built Nuffield Transplant Surgery Unit at the Western General Hospital (WGH).
The Scottish Liver Transplant Unit was established in November 1992 within the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Subsequently, the liver and renal transplant units merged into a single unit in June 1995.
The Scottish Pancreas Transplant Programme was established within the transplant unit in April 2000 with the first pancreas transplant being performed later the same month.