Organ donation can save lives by providing organs and tissues to those in need of transplants. There is a large gap between the number of people needing transplants and the number of available organs. Becoming an organ donor is important as it allows one's organs to help others after death. There are various ways to register as a donor and ensure family is aware of one's wishes to donate. Medical professionals prioritize saving patients' lives and donation is only considered after death when all efforts to save a life have been exhausted.

1. Organ Donation:
Get the Facts

3. ORGAN DONATION
1. Description of the necessity of organs.
2. Kind of organs can be transplanted.
3. How you can become an organ donor.
4. Finally, I am hoping to leave you today with a
new desire to be an organ donor, and at last a
life saver.

4. ORGAN DONATION
“My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it is
through earth's loveliness”
-Michelangelo-

5. THE NEED
 In India:
- 175,000 patients need a kidney transplant.
- 45,000 need a liver transplant.
- 40,000 are in need of a heart tx.
 The numbers :- about 8000 kidney transplants are done,
1200 liver transplants in about 25 centers, and about 15-20
heart transplants in a few select centers are done.
 As many as 92% transplants are from living donors in
India.
 Since the law in 1994, we have managed a little over 900
organ donations, i.e. about 900 donors.

6. EVERY DAY
About 30 people die every day
Not because they were in a car accident,
Not because they were gunned down,
Not because their time had come,
not even because they weren’t in the hospital,
but simply because they couldn’t obtain a transplant in
time.
30 people will die because the organ transplant they
need will not be possible.

7. Who can donate?
• Almost everybody can be considered for organ and
tissue donation after death.
• There are specific criteria for all organs, i.e. They should
be healthy, and some upper and lower age limits for
some tissues.
• There is no upper age limit for eye donation.
• A Medicolegal/ Coroner’s consent may be needed for
donation

8. What
organs and
tissues can
be
donated?

9. Who can be a donor?
Just about anyone can donate life!
Donation either occurs:
After death (deceased donation)
OR
While a person is still living (living
donation)

10. Registering to be a
donor
 Registering to be a donor means you are
choosing to give your organs and tissues to
people who are sick after your death.
 Registering to be a donor does not include
living donation.

11. Donation after Brain Death (DBD)
• Potential donors are usually patients in critical
care areas
• Death is confirmed by Brain Stem Death (BSD)
testing.
• No upper age limit.
• Only absolute contraindication is CJD.
• A Coroner’s consent may be required prior to
donation.
• Potential organs for donation include: Heart,
Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, Pancreas, Small Bowel.
• Tissue donation is also possible.

12. All deceased donors suffer some kind of
severe head injury
Doctors and medical professionals do
everything they can to save the patient
Donation can only take place after a
patient has died
Deceased
Donation

13. BRAIN DEATH
 Irreversible cessation of brain function.
 Usually:-
i. Severe Head Injuries
ii. Cerebral Insults (SAH,SDH,CVA)
iii. Primary Brain Tumors
iv. Cerebral Anoxia (Near-drowning, Drug ODs,MIs,)
v. Homicides/Suicides
vi. Metabolic Disorders (DKA)

14. Brain Death
 Patient maintained on
ventilator, Heart beating
 Organs are removed in the
operating room while the
patient is maintained on a
ventilator.
 Tissue recovery follows
organ donation

15. 1987
Florida Brain Death Law
 Determination of death must be made by two
eligible or certified physicians
 Usually 2 neuro-physicians; independent of the
treating physician are required.
 A series of tests are done to determine.
 Within 72 hours of brain death – most patients
will also have a circulatory death…i.e. the heart
will laso stop.

16. AVAILABLE ORGAN
 Clinics consider blood type, body size,
medical urgency, time waiting, and
geographical proximity as the criteria for
distribution.
 Factors such as race, gender, age,
income, or celebrity status are never
considered.
 Organ allocation.

17. MYTH
 If emergency room doctors
know you’re an organ
donor, they won’t work as
hard to save you.

18. FACT
 If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital,
the number one priority is to save your life. Organ
donation can only be considered if you die and after
your family has been consulted.

19. MYTH
 When you’re waiting for a transplant, your financial
status or celebrity status is as important as your medical
status.

20. FACT
 When you are on the transplant
waiting list for a donor organ, what
really counts is the severity of your
illness, time spent waiting, blood type
and other important medical
information.

21. MYTH
 Having "organ donor" noted on your driver's license
or carrying a donor card is all you have to do to
become a donor.

22. FACT
 While a signed donor card and a driver's license with an
"organ donor" designation are legal documents, organ
and tissue donation is always discussed with family
members prior to the donation. To ensure that your
family understands your wishes, it is important
that you share your decision to
donate LIFE.

23. MYTH
 My family will be
charged for donating
my organs.

24. FACT
 There is no cost to the donor's
family or estate for organ and
tissue donation. Funeral costs
remain the responsibility of the
family.

25. What’s the difference from
a coma?
 Coma entails some lower level of brain
electrical activity, however absence of any
cortical activity
 Coma does NOT equal Brain Death

26. WHY DOES IT MATTER?
 More than 260,000 adults and children
currently await life-saving transplants in
our country.
 Every minute someone or the other
gets their name added to the transplant
waiting list.
 Not many will be able to wait for long.

27.  An average of 2300 people die each year from the lack
of available organs for transplant in Maharashtra alone.
 In India we have had approximately 900 donors since
1995.
 In USA 25000 people donate their organ each year.
 India – organ donation rate is 0.05 per million, whereas
in Spain its 42, USA – 25, UK – 30.

28.  1998 – India had 1% of the worlds road vehicles
and 6% of the world accidents.
 By 2006 the number of RTA in India contributes
to 12% of the worlds accidents.
 By estimates 90,000/y
people die in accidents.
 Approx 245/day.
 Other causes of brain death.
 If 10% donate -----????

29. How does one express voluntary
donation wishes?
 Registries: DMV
 Donor cards
 Advance directives aka, Living Wills
 Sharing your thoughts and decisions
with your family

30. Two that you can influence are:
• Family members saying no to donation after the death of their
family member because they are unaware of the deceased
wishes regarding donation.
• Care providers being reluctant to raise the issue of donation
with family members as they are fearful of causing distress.
Research indicates that:
• The majority of people are in favour of donation regardless of
ethnicity or religious preference.
• Family members are not distressed by being asked about
donation, they value the opportunity to consider this option.

31. Doctors will try to save
my life first, right?
Yes! Doctors do everything in their power to treat each
patient – their number one priority is saving YOUR life.
The doctors involved in treating you are not the same
doctors involved in the transplant process. Donation is
only an option after death.

32. Are donors treated with
respect?
Yes! Donors are treated with great care and dignity.
Organ and tissue recovery is a respectful surgical
procedure, and donors are able to have an open casket
funeral or any type of viewing.

33. What does my religion
say about donation?
All major religions either support donation as a generous
and compassionate act or leave it up to the individual as
a personal choice.
If you have a question about your religion, talk with
people you trust.

34. Jackson
Liver Transplant Recipient

35. Liver, stomach, pancreas,
small bowel and piece
of colon recipient

36. Liver and small bowel
recipient

38. heart
recipient

39. Trine
Liver Recipient

40. REMEMBER…..
 There is a huge need for organs.
 Almost any organ can be transplanted to anyone.
 There are different ways of making sure that your
organs are donated after you die.
 The opportunity to sign up as a Donor….. Sign a
donor card, let your family know.

41. Don’t take your organs to heaven….
God knows we need them here!