Transplanting organs: How are decisions made
7News The Denver Channel | Dr.Dianne McCallister
Dr. Dianne McCallister, Chief Medical Officer at Centura's Porter Adventist Hospital
The recent high profile cases of donated organs after severe auto accidents has raised our awareness of this life-saving gift from the victim's family.
While organ transplantation has become much more common, many of us still have question regarding how it happens, and how decisions are made to use the organs, and to whom they go.
Transplants are such a gift to the recipient - what tissues can be transplanted?
Kidneys, liver, the pancreas, intestines, hearts and lungs are the most widely known, but skin, eyes bones, tendons and heart valves are among the other tissues that are transplantable.
How do organ donors choose to give their organs?
In our state (Colorado), we can choose to be organ donors, and note it, on our driver's licenses.
The decision to donate multiple vital organs, which we hear about after severe accidents, is made after brain death - which verified by a specialist using tests of brain function.
At that point, the family of the donor gives the consent to donate the organs. Therefore, it is important to have this difficult discussion with your family, if you wish to donate your organs.
It is important to note that in hospitals, we treat all patients with the goal of helping them live. It is only after brain death - which is irreversible, that we consider organ donation.
A completely different ability to donate is after a natural death in the hospital - at which point skin and corneas can be donated - giving someone the gift of sight or the ability to heal large burns/wounds.
The recent high profile cases of donated organs after severe auto accidents has raised our awareness of this life-saving gift from the victim's family.
While organ transplantation has become much more common, many of us still have question regarding how it happens, and how decisions are made to use the organs, and to whom they go.
Transplants are such a gift to the recipient - what tissues can be transplanted?
Kidneys, liver, the pancreas, intestines, hearts and lungs are the most widely known, but skin, eyes bones, tendons and heart valves are among the other tissues that are transplantable.
How do organ donors choose to give their organs?
In our state (Colorado), we can choose to be organ donors, and note it, on our driver's licenses.
The decision to donate multiple vital organs, which we hear about after severe accidents, is made after brain death - which verified by a specialist using tests of brain function.
At that point, the family of the donor gives the consent to donate the organs. Therefore, it is important to have this difficult discussion with your family, if you wish to donate your organs.
It is important to note that in hospitals, we treat all patients with the goal of helping them live. It is only after brain death - which is irreversible, that we consider organ donation.
A completely different ability to donate is after a natural death in the hospital - at which point skin and corneas can be donated - giving someone the gift of sight or the ability to heal large burns/wounds.
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