Yale Surgery Team Reaches Landmark 750th Liver Transplant

Newswise — The Yale Organ Transplantation and Immunology program marked a significant milestone on Dec. 10, 2025, completing its 750th liver transplant. The landmark procedure—performed by Joohyun Kim, MD; Michelle Kim, MD; and Hiroshi Sogawa, MD, MBA, surgical director of Liver Transplant at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH)—highlights sustained program growth and momentum toward national Center of Excellence designation.

“Reaching our 750th liver transplant is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team — surgeons, physician partners, residents, researchers, nurse coordinators, advanced practitioners, and staff, including our histocompatibility lab — who ensure that our patients receive the best possible care,” says Sanjay Kulkarni, MD, interim chief of Transplant Surgery at YNHH.

Since performing its first liver transplant in 1983, the Yale surgery program has grown exponentially, leading several firsts in the region, including Connecticut’s first split-liver transplant in 2007. Today, the program is home to one of the largest kidney transplant programs in New England, distinguished by outstanding patient outcomes and the number of living donor transplants performed in both adult and pediatric patients.

The program emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, combining clinical excellence with a robust research enterprise that continues to advance the field of transplantation care.