How long is the wait for a bowel?
This page provides general guidance on average waiting times, but every patient is different. Your waiting time may be much shorter or longer
Key points
- The average wait for a bowel from a deceased donor in the UK is 6 months
- Your transplant team will try to predict how long you might wait for a bowel
What is the average wait for a bowel transplant?
The average wait for a bowel transplant in the UK is about 6 months. Some patients wait much longer than average, some wait a shorter time.
The system by which organs are offered considers factors including how unwell the patient is, how difficult it is for the patient to receive a bowel transplant and prioritises patients who will struggle most.
Find out about going on the transplant waiting list
Why it is hard to predict exactly how long your wait might be
We don’t know when a deceased donor with a suitable blood group, height, weight and tissue type will become available.
There may be other patients with a similar blood group, height, weight and tissue type to you waiting for a bowel transplant at the same time.
Estimating your waiting time
Your transplant team will be able to give an estimate of how long you might wait, based on your blood group, tissue type, level of antibodies in your blood and what type of bowel transplant you need.
Why do some patients have a shorter wait for a bowel transplant?
In general, you won’t wait as long for a bowel transplant if you:
- Have more severe disease
- Have a common blood group, tissue type, and don’t have a high level of antibodies in your blood
