Facts About Donation
Introduction
Public awareness research shows that up to 90 percent of Australians support organ/tissue donation in principle and the majority of the world’s religions support organ/tissue donation and transplantation as acts of generosity and merit. These religions include Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Judaism and Sikhism.
Pope John Paul II Addresses The International Transplantation Society About Organ Donation
In August 2000 Pope John Paul II addressed the 18th International Congress of the Transplantation Society in Rome in which he gave his blessing to donation and transplantation. (Click here to view excerpts of the Pope's address ) OR (Click here to link to the Vatican website).
Who can be a donor?
Organ donation can only take place in very special circumstances. People who become organ donors have died in hospital, usually following road trauma, a brain haemorrhage or other causes of irreversible brain injury - brain death. The person is in the Intensive Care Unit and is always on a mechanical ventilator.
When the brain has died, all function of the brain has ceased, as there is no blood supply or oxygen to the brain. Brain cells that die cannot regrow or be replaced. Therefore, vital basic functions such as wakefulness and breathing, regulation of heart rate, blood pressure and temperature are irreversibly lost. The patient cannot feel, see, hear, think or remember. Death has occurred.
By law, death is defined as:
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Irreversible cessation of all function of the brain (brain death - the brain stops forever) or
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Irreversible cessation of circulation of the blood (cardiac death - the heart stops forever).
It is soon after death that the option for donation may be discussed with the deceased’s family. The family may be asked what the wishes were of the deceased during their lifetime.
There may be some restrictions as to the suitability for donation, such as previous cancer, infectious disease or major trauma. Age is not usually a relevant consideration. Suitability for organ donation is determined after death has occurred and each case is assessed individually.
Although not everyone can be an organ donor, most people can be a tissue donor, as tissues can be retrieved up to 24 hours after the heart has stopped beating - cardiac death. You do not need to have died in a hospital to be able to donate tissues.
The success of transplantation has given people the chance not only of survival but renewed quality of life. It is well recognised that it is only through the generosity of individuals and their families that transplantation is made possible.
Is there an age limit?
No.
Some medical conditions may prevent you from donating organs or tissues, such as cancer or transmissible diseases like HIV or AIDS.
How are organs and tissues removed?
During organ or tissue donation, your body will be treated with respect, dignity and care. Organs which are removed for transplant occur in the operating theatre of the hospital at which the person died. It is a full surgical procedure performed by specialist transplant surgeons. The incision depends on which organs/tissues are retrieved and are always sutured closed, as in any surgical operation.
If the person is a donor of tissues only, that is, they are unable to donate organs such as heart, lungs, liver, pancreas and kidneys, then these tissues, (namely, eye tissue, bone tissue and heart valve tissue) can be removed in a mortuary under sterile conditions by specialist staff.
If the circumstances of the death of the person involve a Coroners inquiry, then a post-mortem examination will be carried out after the donation surgery. The donation of organs and tissues does not interfere with the legal requirements of a coronial investigation.
Is the body disfigured?
There is no disfigurement to the body after organ or tissue donation. Throughout the donation process the person donating is treated with the highest level of respect and dignity. Organ donation is always performed by senior transplant surgeons and tissue donation is always performed by either specially trained surgeons or technicians. The surgical incision is closed as in any other operation and reconstructive surgery is performed following eye and bone tissue donation to maintain the appearance of the person.
If you did not know someone had donated organs and or tissues you could not tell simply by looking at them following the donation surgery. After the surgical procedure, the family are offered the opportunity to view the body of their loved one. Because there is no disfigurement, an open casket or funeral viewing can be arranged for the family. Funeral arrangements can be made as normal and are not interrupted by donation.
Are there any costs involved?
There are no costs to the person who has donated or to their family when organ or tissue donation occurs even if the person who is donating has died in a private hospital.
Which organs and tissues can be donated?
Organs:
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heart,
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lungs,
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liver,
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pancreas,
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kidneys.
Tissues:
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heart valve tissue,
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eye tissue,
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bone tissue,
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skin tissue.
How Are Donors And Recipients Matched?
Donated organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and pancreas are matched to recipients by blood group, height, weight and body size. Age and sex are not relevant.
Kidney matching also requires blood group matching but weight is not a relevant consideration.
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