Organ and Tissue Donation

Question 1

List the Organs used in transplantation

Answer 1

• Heart
• Lungs
• Liver
• Kidney
• Pancreas
• Pancreas Islet Cells
• Small Bowel
• Stomach

Question 2

List the Tissues used in transplantation

Answer 2

• Cornea
• Sclera (white of the eye)
• Heart Valves
• Skin
• Bone
• Tendons
• Amniotic Tissue

Question 3

Differentiate eligibility to donate organs vs tissues

Answer 3

Organ:
- severe damage to the brain that is incompatible with life
- donor has been maintained on a ventilator (respirator) until the organ is removed

Tissue:
- removed within 12-24 hours after a natural or tragic death
- donor does not need to be maintained on a ventilator (possible after heart and lungs have stopped working)

Question 4

How common is it to donate organs ? (% of deaths)

Answer 4

1-2% of deaths are potential organ donors

Question 5

What can be obtained from living donors ?

Answer 5

• Kidneys
• Part of the liver

Question 6

Identify the type of assessments done to determine suitability for Organ transplant

Answer 6

• assessment to determine stability of donor, organ function and risk of disease
• medical and social history
• blood tests to ID infectious diseases
• liver = measure liver enzymes, maybe liver biopsy
• heart = blood tests, ECG
• lungs = chest x-ray
• kidney = blood tests, urine, maybe biopsy

Question 7

Identify who gives consent for organ and tissue donation

Answer 7

Organ = Next-of-kin OR immediate family

Tissue = next-of-kin

Question 8

Briefly outline the basic process Tissue procurement

Answer 8

• Death is confirmed
• Family is offered the option of tissue donation
• If family requires additional information OR wishes to proceed = Donation Professional is contacted
• If YES = Donation Professional obtains consent and completes a medical/social history, assesses the donor, and determines suitability for donation
• Donor is taken to the operating room for tissue recovery (Corneas may be recovered in the operating room, at the bedside, or in the morgue)
• The tissues are processed and stored for future use
• The donor is released to the family’s chosen funeral home

Question 9

Briefly outline the basic process Organ procurement

Answer 9

• Death is confirmed and patient is maintained on organ support
• The family is offered the option of organ & tissue donation
• If the family says yes = Donor Coordinator reviews the donation process, obtains consent, and completes a medical/social history
• Blood is taken + diagnostic tests performed to determine suitability for transplant.\
• Organs are matched with recipients
• The donor is taken to the operating room where the organs are recovered and sent to the appropriate recipient centers for transplantation
• If the donor is also an appropriate candidate for tissue donation, tissue recovery follows organ recovery
• The donor is released to the family’s chosen funeral home