Organ Donation

What is Organ Donation?

Organ donation is perhaps the most meaningful legacy one can leave behind. It represents one of the most beautiful gifts we can give to another person—a new lease on life. Organ donation and transplantation have become one of the most remarkable medical success stories of this century . Organ donation often serves as the last hope for survival for many people worldwide. By becoming an organ donor, you can make a profound impact and provide hope to those on the waiting list.

Over the past decade, the concept of ‘Eye Donation’ has gained significant popularity and success. Thanks to generous people, doctors can now transplant not just eyes and kidneys but also other organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, and pancreas. Additionally, tissues like skin, bones, veins, arteries, and heart valves can be transplanted to alleviate the suffering of many patients.

In 1994, the Government of India passed the Transplantation of Human Organs Act to modernize the concept of organ donation, expanding it to include organs beyond just the eyes. The universal donor card is a crucial step in this regard, and signing this card can save many lives. This universal card expresses an individual's desire to donate any or all of their organs, potentially transforming the lives of multiple recipients.

Every year, thousands of lives are saved and transformed through organ transplants. However, the need for organ donors is far greater than the number of people who actually donate... According to the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) set up under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, every year, around 250,000 people need kidneys, and approximately 100,000 people need corneas. There are about 80,000 people in need of a liver and 50,000 for a heart. It is said that over 500,000 people die every year due to the unavailability of organs.

Who Can Be a Donor?

Anyone can be a donor, irrespective of age, religion, community, or current or past medical condition.

What is Organ Transplantation?

Organ transplantation is a significant medical procedure where a healthy organ from one person is placed into another person whose organ is not working properly. This can help the person live longer and feel better. For example, if someone's kidney stops working, they can get a healthy kidney from another person. The healthy organ can come from someone who is alive or someone who has died.

Organs and Tissues That Can Be Donated & When?

Living Donors:Can donate specific organs such as a single kidney or part of the liver, usually to a close relative.

Examples:

1. One Kidney: A healthy person can donate one kidney and continue to live with the remaining one.
2. Part of the Liver: The liver can regenerate, so a portion of it can be donated.
3. Part of the Lung: A lobe of one lung can be donated, although this is less common.
4. Part of the Pancreas: A segment of the pancreas can be donated.
5. Part of the Intestine: A portion of the intestine can be donated.

Deceased Donors (Brain Death): Can donate a wide range of organs and tissues after they have been declared brain dead.
These include vital organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, and lungs.

Examples:

1. Heart: Can be transplanted to someone with severe heart disease.
2. Liver: Can be transplanted to someone with liver failure.
3. Kidneys: Both kidneys can be transplanted to individuals with kidney failure.
4. Lungs: One or both lungs can be donated.
5. Pancreas: Can be transplanted to someone with severe diabetes.
6. Intestines:Can be donated to individuals with severe intestinal diseases.

In addition to organs, various tissues can also be donated:

1. Corneas: Can restore sight to those with corneal blindness.
2. Skin: Can be used for burn victims and reconstructive surgeries.
3. Bone: Can be used in orthopaedic surgeries and treatments.
4. Heart Valves: Can be used to replace damaged valves in heart disease patients.
5. Tendons and Ligaments: Can be used in orthopaedic and reconstructive surgeries.
6. Veins:Can be used in vascular surgeries.

Timeframe for Transplanting an Organ After It Has Been Removed from a Deceased Donor

1. The organs must be removed from the deceased donor and transplanted to the recipient within the following time frame:



Organ	Timeframe
Heart	4-6 hours
Lungs	4-8 hours
Intestine	6-10 hours
Liver	12-15 hours
Pancreas	12-24 hours
Kidneys	24-48 hours

2. To register for organ donation, individuals can obtain a donor form from the NOTTO website. Upon submission, a printable donor card is issued, which includes the donor’s name, blood group, and the organs and tissues they wish to donate. Organ donation is not allowed for individuals with active cancer or systemic disorders, as these conditions could spread to the recipient.

The NOTTO has established age limits for deceased organ donation:

Organ	Donor's Age Limit
Kidneys and Liver	Up to 70 years
Heart and Lungs	Up to 50 years
Pancreas and Intestine	Up to 60-65 years
Corneas and Skin	Up to 100 years
Heart Valves	Up to 50 years
Bones	Up to 70 years

Donors should talk to their close relatives about their decision to donate organs so everything can be prepared for a transplant if they are declared brain dead.

If a person dies in the hospital, doctors and transplant coordinators (in large hospitals) will start the transplant process after getting consent from the family. If a person dies at home, the nearest government or large private hospital should be contacted right away. In this case, only eyes and some tissues can be donated.

It's important to know that family consent is crucial for organ donation in India. Even if someone has registered as a donor, their organs will not be transplanted without the family's permission.

Contact Us:

For more information on organ donation and how you can make a difference, contact us at [transplant@hariarotaryhospital.com] or can call on this no- 2606638888 / 9727375784.

Can One Become an Organ Donor?

You can become a donor by signing a ‘Donor Card’ from any hospital or NGO. It is not a legal document; it is only an expression of your willingness.

Cardiac Death Donors:

Can donate corneas, skin, and other tissues, but the donation should occur within six hours of death.

What is Brain Death?

Brain death is defined as the irreversible cessation of all brain activity. It is determined through clinical assessments and diagnostic tests, confirming the absence of brain function, including the inability to maintain autonomous respiration. This condition is legally recognized as death.

Brain death occurs when the brain stem is irreversibly damaged, resulting in the loss of consciousness and the inability to breathe independently. This is different from being in a coma. When someone is brain dead, they cannot think, feel, or breathe on their own, and there is no chance of recovery. Although machines can keep the body functioning for a while, medically, the person is considered dead.

Causes for Brain Death

Brain death can be caused by various conditions and events that lead to severe and irreversible damage to the brain. Some common causes include:

1. Traumatic Brain Injury: Severe head injuries from accidents, falls, or violence.
2. Stroke:A major stroke, especially a haemorrhagic stroke, can cause extensive brain damage.
3. Brain Tumours: Large or aggressive brain tumours that damage critical areas of the brain.
4. Lack of Oxygen: Conditions like cardiac arrest, drowning, or severe asthma attacks that deprive the brain of oxygen for a prolonged period.
5. Infections:Severe brain infections like encephalitis or meningitis.
6. Drug Overdose: A massive overdose of drugs or toxins that cause significant brain damage.
7. Aneurysm:A ruptured brain aneurysm leading to severe bleeding and pressure on the brain.

How is Brain Death Declared?

Brain death is declared through a detailed and rigorous process involving multiple steps:

1. Clinical Examination: Doctors check for any signs of brain activity, including reflexes and responses to stimuli.
2. Absence of Brainstem Reflexes: Tests are conducted to confirm there are no brainstem reflexes, such as pupil reaction to light, gag reflex, or response to pain.
3. Apnea Test: This test checks if the person can breathe independently without the help of a ventilator.
4. Repeated Testing: The tests are typically repeated after a certain period (often six hours) to confirm the results are consistent.
5. Committee of Doctors:A committee of doctors, often including neurologists or neurosurgeons, reviews the test results and confirms the diagnosis.
6. Documentation: The diagnosis is documented, confirming the absence of all brain activity and declaring the individual legally and medically dead.

Difference Between Brain Death and Coma?

Brain death and coma are distinct medical conditions. Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all brain activity, including in the brainstem, meaning the individual cannot breathe independently and is legally and medically considered dead with no possibility of recovery. Organs can be retrieved from brain-dead patients.

In contrast, a coma is a deep state of unconsciousness where the person is unresponsive to their environment but still has some brain activity. Comatose individuals may breathe on their own, and there are some chances of the person coming out of a state of coma depending on the cause and extent of the brain injury. Organ donation cannot take place from patients in a coma.