Medical Information on Organ Donation

Everything you need to know about the medical aspects of organ donation, types of donation, and safety conditions.

Medical Care

What is Organ Donation?

It is a noble act where a person gives an organ or part of it to save the life of another patient suffering from organ failure that has no cure but transplantation.

Organ transplants are considered one of the most successful medical achievements in modern times, giving patients a new chance to live a normal life.

Types of Donation

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Living Donation

Donating an organ (like a kidney) or part of an organ (like the liver) to another person (often a relative), provided the donor is healthy and will not be harmed.

  • ✅ Kidneys
  • ✅ Part of the Liver
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Deceased Donation (Brain Death)

Organ donation occurs after brain death is definitively diagnosed and family consent is obtained. One donor can save 8 lives.

  • ✅ Heart, Lungs
  • ✅ Liver, Pancreas
  • ✅ Corneas

Who Receives the Donated Organ?

Medical ethical considerations play a significant role and must be respected by those dealing with organ transplantation. Most countries have agreed on the following points:

  • First: Matching and Will Priority in transplantation is given to those who are most compatible in terms of blood type or tissue. The recommendation of the patient or their guardian is taken very seriously if they wish to donate the organ(s) to specific people for family or social reasons.
  • Second: Medical Need Consideration is given to the patient's need on dialysis machines in terms of:
    • Age: If young and supporting a small family (husband or wife).
    • Time on Dialysis: The duration of years on dialysis treatment (referencing kidney patient records).
  • Third: Waiting List Priority may be given (after First and Second) to those longest on the waiting list regardless of age, while ensuring compatibility in all cases.
  • Fourth: Lottery Principle In case of equal need between patients, the Lottery Principle is applied.

Kidney Transplant Conditions (For Recipient)

  • 1. Ensure the patient has no other organic disease preventing transplantation.
  • 2. Patient age should not exceed 65 years, in good heart condition supported by the opinion of a specialized heart consultant (reinforced by catheterization if over 50).
  • 3. Patient must be psychologically balanced and accepting of the surgical procedure and medication.
  • 4. Free from HIV, unless the donor is HIV positive.
  • 5. Free from active chronic viral hepatitis.
  • 6. Negative Cytotoxic Antibody Test result.

Living Donor Conditions

  • ✔ Confirmed blood relationship documented by official authorities when necessary (except for bone marrow transplantation as the transplanted organ is renewable).
  • ✔ Age between 18 and 65 years.
  • ✔ Blood type compatibility or donor is (O+).
  • ✔ Ensure the living donor is physically healthy with no negative impact on their life.
  • ✔ Donation must be voluntary, without social pressure or financial inducement.
  • ✔ No severe physical, mental, or psychological disability. >
  • ✔ Written consent of the spouse if the donor is the wife.
  • ✔ Signing a written declaration, with the right to withdraw at any time before the operation.
  • ✔ Medical laboratory procedures including tissue matching (Cross Match) and radiology for both donor and patient must be completed, and the patient must be informed of all potential risks.

Mechanism for Requesting Donation from Deceased Donors' Families

When the brain death determination procedures are completed for a patient eligible to donate one or more organs, the following mechanism is followed:

1. Initial Notification

The supervising physician must inform the patient's family of the brain death status. Then, the department head reports the case to the social worker, who serves as the liaison officer within the organ transplant team.

2. Emotional Support

The social worker contacts the family and meets with them to provide necessary emotional support in such situations (offering condolences).

3. Presenting the Donation Topic

The social worker presents the topic of organ donation to them and may approach the subject from religious and social perspectives to help persuade them to consent to organ donation.

4. Documenting Consent

If the family or legal guardian of the deceased consents, the social worker completes the organ donation consent form, which is signed by the donor's legal guardian.

5. Post-Operation Follow-up

After completing the organ retrieval and transplantation process, the social worker should continue communication with the deceased's family, informing them of the successful surgeries and how they resulted in providing better life opportunities for patients who benefited from the donated organs. This leaves a positive impression on them and helps form positive attitudes toward organ donation in their local communities, while also raising awareness about this phenomenon.

Contraindications for Kidney Transplantation

  • • Patient or donor has incurable cancer.
  • • Patient or donor has primary hyperoxaluria.
  • • Patient or donor has acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV+ve).
  • • Patient is addicted to drugs or narcotic medications.
  • • Patient or donor has other organic diseases such as:
    • Liver cirrhosis.
    • Liver fibrosis.
    • Grade IV heart failure.
    • End-stage respiratory failure.
    • Mental retardation or brain disease.
    • Viral hepatitis.
  • • Patient or donor has any disease that may have a negative impact on either of them not mentioned above.
  • • Donor has diseases of uncertain cause such as:
    • Crohn's disease
    • Ulcerative colitis
    • Sarcoidosis
  • • Neurological diseases such as Parkinsonism, MS (Disseminated Sclerosis).
  • • Toxic diseases from bacteria, viruses, or algae.
  • • Receiving or donating blood within a period of no less than six months.