Cells, tissues and organs surveillance system (CTOSS), 2018-2019

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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2022-06-15

CTOSS project is to monitor the adverse events related to cells, tissues, and organs transplantations in Canada.

This project started in 2011. Currently it only covers tissue transplants. The Project Progress Report: April 2007 – December 2013 contains a detailed methodology of surveillance.

30% of the tissues transplanted in Canada are monitored through 5 participating sites in CTOSS.

50,899 tissues were transplanted during 2011-2019 and 19,113 tissues were transplanted during 2018-2019.

26 transplantation adverse events (TAEs) were reported during 2011-2019 and 9 TAEs observed during 2018-2019.

Figure 1: total tissues transplanted based on tissue types, CTOSS 2018-2019

Figure 2: types of adverse events reported CTOSS 2011-2019

Figure 3 (map of Canada): number of tissues transplanted by provinces CTOSS 2018-2019

Tissues Transplanted 2018-2019

Province Number of tissues transplanted
Northern Alberta Regions* 4,391
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre at Toronto 1,164
Quebec 10,762
New Brunswick 595
Nova Scotia 2,201

* For Alberta, AB Health Services covers Northern Alberta regions.


The incidence rates of tissue-related adverse events in Canada are low, similar to other developed countries.

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