HONORING UAB TRANSPLANT PIONEER DR . ARNOLD DIETHELM
Dear Colleagues ,
In January 2021 , UAB Medicine and the field of organ transplantation lost a hero and pioneer : Arnold Diethelm , MD , who in 1968 performed Alabama ’ s first organ transplant , of a kidney . The procedure was a success and led to many other transplant firsts . Under his leadership , UAB performed the first heart transplant in the southeast in 1981 , followed by Alabama ’ s first liver transplant in 1983 , first simultaneous kidney / pancreas transplant in 1988 , and first lung transplant in 1989 .
A Baltimore native and fifth-generation physician , Dr . Diethelm began his career at UAB in 1967 when – at the invitation of John W . Kirklin , MD – he joined the UAB Department of Surgery after completing his two-year fellowship at Harvard . He established organ transplantation at UAB and built it from the ground up into a nationally ranked program that serves the citizens of Alabama and the region .
Arnold Diethelm , MD
During his 33-plus years at UAB , Dr . Diethelm shepherded the program through countless achievements and made numerous contributions to the transplant field . Ironically , his life ’ s work may have helped save his life . Just before retiring in 2000 , Dr . Diethelm himself suffered from end-stage liver disease and underwent a successful transplant .
To highlight just a few of his career accomplishments :
• As chair of the UAB Department of Surgery from 1982 to 1999 , Dr . Diethelm catapulted the department into the elite group of top-five institutions for National Institutes of Health funding .
• He built UAB ’ s renal transplant program into one of the nation ’ s largest and busiest , and he helped develop the Alabama Organ and Tissue Procurement Center to expand the supply of critical tissues for bone allograft transplantation .
• As the 1991-92 president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons , Dr . Diethelm used his platform to advocate for improved education and training , sharing of knowledge , and more equitable organ sharing .
• Dr . Diethelm ’ s lifelong interest in immune tolerance research helped UAB emerge as a leader in exploring new immunosuppressive agents .
His success was tempered with humility . In 2018 , when the UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first transplant , Dr . Diethelm turned the spotlight on support staff : “ Who picks up patients and brings them to the operating room on a stretcher ?” he asked . “ Who washes and sterilizes the OR ? Surgery requires a large number of people , and those people may be the most important .”
This 2021 annual report is dedicated to Dr . Diethelm and his commitment to world-class patient care , innovation , and training the next generation of transplant leaders . It is our hope that these pages showcase a transplant institute that carries on his legacy of excellence .
Jayme E . Locke , MD , MPH , FACS , FAST Director , UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute
Martha Tankersley , MSN , RN Transplant Administrator , UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute