Tissue figures
Are you looking for current figures on tissue donation, waiting lists, or tissue transplantation? View our interactive data dashboards.
General tips
- For the reports, please use a laptop or PC.
- Start with the Information tab to properly understand what the report is about.
Privacy and data
The NTS handles personal data with the utmost care. We only publish aggregated data to protect the privacy of donors, next of kin, and recipients.
Tissue retrievals per year
In this simple report, you can see the number of tissue retrievals in the Netherlands per year.
Explanation of this report
Tissues you can donate include: eye tissue, skin, bone tissue, heart valves, and part of the aorta. In this report, you can see how many tissues were retrieved per year. The report shows the number of donors from whom tissue was retrieved. This can be: eye tissue, skin, bone, heart valve, or part of the aorta.
Good to know:
- Some donors have donated multiple types of tissues, such as eye tissue and bones. This overview shows the number of donors per tissue type.
- The number of retrieved tissues is higher than the number of donors per tissue type. For example, with eye tissue, it usually involves the retrieval of both eyes, and a donor can donate two heart valves.
- The number of tissues retrieved is not the same as the number of tissue transplants. After retrieval, the tissue is assessed and stored by tissue banks. It can be kept there for a longer period of time. Therefore, it may take some time before tissue from a donor is transplanted.
Also, the entire tissue is not always transplanted. Sometimes only a small part is needed, for example, a piece of bone for the repair of bone fractures. In this way, tissue from one tissue donor can go to multiple patients.
Tissue donation figures
Do you want to know how many tissue donations there are in the Netherlands? In this report, you will find, among other things:
- Number of tissue donations and trends
- Characteristics of donors
- Cause of death of donors
About this report
Tissue is stored in tissue banks after removal. There is not enough stock of all tissues.
- There are waiting lists for corneas and heart valves in the Netherlands.
- You see the patients currently waiting for eye tissue and heart valves/vessels. We show the data from the first day of the month.
- This concerns the number of patients in the Netherlands.
Tissue transplantation figures
How many tissue transplants are performed in the Netherlands? View the figures here.
Number of tissue transplants in the Netherlands (cumulative)
| Jan 1 to Aug 31, 2025 | Jan 1 to Aug 31, 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocular tissue | 1423 | 1333 | 7% |
| Heart valves and vessels | 115 | 111 | 4% |
About this report
- The table shows how many tissue transplants there have been in 2025.
- Also see how this compares to the same period last year.
Frequently asked questions about grades
How can I be sure I am using the correct figures?
You are always welcome to share figures from these reports in presentations or publications. Please ensure you share the correct data.
Check the filters
- Make sure you know which filters are active.
- Check whether the correct filters are (still) active before copying data.
- State which filters you have used, i.e., which specific characteristics are shown.
Check the date
- There is always a date at the bottom of the report. State the date you find under 'last updated'.
- Figures for the past month are published on the first day of the month. Late registrations are processed daily. So, always check the latest figures.
Be careful with interpretations
Be cautious about making your own interpretations or drawing conclusions. Often, multiple factors are involved. In doubt? Ask for advice via info@transplantatiestichting.nl.
What is a good way to share figures?
- For a presentation: show the interactive dashboards live and guide your audience through the most current figures.
- For publications: take a screenshot or use a snipping tool.
- Always ensure you cite the Dutch Transplant Foundation (NTS) as the source.
How can I request data from the NTS?
- Are you a journalist or a student and do you need specific data? Please submit a request viainfo@transplantatiestichting.nlPlease clearly state which data you are looking for and for what purpose. Unfortunately, we cannot fulfill all requests due to privacy and legal regulations.
- Are you conducting scientific research and do you need a specific dataset? Send your data request todata-request@transplantatiestichting.nl
How does the NTS take privacy and legal regulations into account?
The NTS handles personal data with the utmost care. We exclusively publish aggregated data to protect the privacy of donors, surviving relatives, and recipients. The NTS adheres to:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Organ Donation Act (Wod). It states that organ and tissue donation is anonymous. The donor's surviving relatives do not know who received the organs and tissues. Likewise, the recipient does not know from whom their new organ originated.
Our figures are therefore never traceable to individuals. They are always presented in categories or larger numbers.
Questions about numbers?
Are you missing something or do you have a question? Please contact us.
NTS member site
The member site features detailed data dashboards for organs and tissues. These are accessible to specific target groups.
Don't have an account yet?Create an account here.