Organ Transplant is Unconditional Love!
Questions about Organ Donation
What is tissue and organ transplant?
Organ transplant implies transfer of donor’s organ or tissue to another person (patient), as there is, currently, no other medical solution.Surgery or various medical methods are used for the transplant.Thus, a patient with an end-stage disease or partial loss of bodily functions gets healthy again.
Which tissues and organs are transplanted?
Examples of organ transplants include kidney, liver, heart, lung and pancreas, while examples of tissue transplant are cornea, blood, bone marrow, small intestine and insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas.
What is cadaver?
A cadaver is a deceased with verified diagnosis of brain death who organs are donated by family members.
What does cadaver or deceased organ donation list mean?
Donated organs are transplanted to patients who are registered by transplant centers.Therefore, a person with an organ failure should necessarily present to a transplant center.Otherwise, there is no chance of transplant, even if organs are full-match.Organ transplant centers are obliged to notify each patient presenting to the center to the national organ and tissue transplantation center.You may be recorded in the national list through only one center, but you may change the center, whenever you want.
Is there any difference regarding preparations for living or deceased donor transplant?
There is no difference regarding preparation phase.However, it is not possible to estimate the time to find an organ for patients who are prepared for deceased donor transplant.Moreover, examination and laboratory test data may change over time.Therefore, laboratory tests and examinations of the patients in the organ waiting list should be repeated at certain intervals.Briefly, patients of deceased organ transplant should be always ready for the surgery.
Is native kidney of transplant patients intervened?
Native kidneys of patients are usually untouched.In fact, it is related to the underlying cause of the kidney failure and overall health of the patient.Diseased kidneys can be removed in case of persistent hypertension with renal origin, refractory kidney infections at frequent intervals, vesicoureteral reflux, too large cystic kidneys and macroscopic hematuria.The surgery can be performed 1 month before or during the organ transplantation.
How long do patients wait on deceased donor organ waiting list?
It is not possible to emphasize a certain time.National Organ and Tissue Transplant Coordination Center uses specific criteria to match a deceased-donor organ with a patient.Sometimes, an organ is immediately found for a patient, who was recently recorded to the system, while other patients may need to wait for many years in the deceased-donor organ list.
How are patients notified when a deceased donor organ is found?
When you are recorded on the deceased donor organ waiting list, phone number of you and your family members is recorded to the automation system of the hospital in order to call and ask you present to the hospital immediately, when a match organ is found.Therefore, you need to notify any change in your phone number to the hospital in order to facilitate the communication.
If I am called by the transplant center to notify that an organ is found, does it mean that I will certainly undergo a transplant surgery?
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Coordination center determines the patients who will be transplanted a deceased donor organ.After names of patients are communicated to our hospital, they are called for physical examination and emergency laboratory tests; a committee of our physicians makes the final decision and organs are transplanted to most appropriate patients.If a transplant surgery is not performed, the reasons are explained to patients and the coordination center and next, patients are discharged to home.
Is there any religious contraindication to organ transplant?
There is no religious contraindication to organ transplant.Most of the divine religions are approving and supporting organ donation.Directorate of religious affairs, Supreme board of Religious affairs declared with the decision No. 396 dated 3.3.1980 that donation is religiously lawful in as a result of steps taken by Prof. Mehmet Haberal, M.D., in Turkey.The decision makes certain impositions; it should be imperative or in other words, there should be no other alternative to save life or a vitally important organ of patient; this necessity should be confirmed by the doctor; the donor of tissue and organ should have died; the donor of tissue and organ should have consented to the donation while s/he was alive; consent of family members should be obtained, provided donation is not refused by the donor while s/he was alive; no financial benefit is gained through organ donation; and the patient should also consent to the transplant surgery.Moreover, the same decision states “the person whom you will donate your organ is personally responsible for favors and harms”.
What does living donor organ transplant imply?
It implies donation of one kidney or a part a liver by a living person to a patient who needs organ transplant.
Who can donate kidney?
Any person older than 18 can be a donor.Spouse of the donor should also be volunteer or consent to the donation.A person who wants to donate an organ is carefully evaluated through physical examination and relevant tests.Only healthy people can donate a kidney.
Does donation of a kidney increase the future risk of dialysis?
On the contrary to the popular belief, donation of kidney does not increase the risk of kidney failure.This fact is exactly confirmed as a result of follow-up procedures for hundred thousands of people who had donated a kidney in the last 50 years.The most important principle of living donor transplant is to avoid damage to kidney donor who has no health problem and makes an important voluntary sacrifice to give life to a loved one.
I want to be recorded on deceased donor waiting list, although I have living donors. Is it possible?
You can be recorded on deceased donor waiting list.However, living donor transplant is a better option to avoid waiting for many years and to have an organ that functions well for a long period of time.Considering number of patients on the deceased donor organ waiting list, deceased donor organ transplant should be recommended to patients who have no chance of living donor organ transplant.
Is blood type and tissue group compatibility required?
Blood type compatibility is required.0 Rh(-) is the blood type of general donor and AB Rh (+) implies the blood type of general recipient.For example, for A Rh(+) recipient, blood type of the donor can be 0 Rh(+), 0 Rh(-), A Rh(+), or A Rh(-).Tissue compatibility is not an absolute criterion.However, it is demonstrated that higher tissue compatibility yields more successful results.
Tissue type is not a relevant factor for liver transplant.Only blood type compatibility is required.
How long should I use drugs after the transplant surgery?
Organ or tissue transplant patients are started on immunosuppressive agents to prevent postoperative tissue rejection.These agents should be used lifelong.