Organ donation and transplantation began in the mid 1950s with some success and has progressed into a highly beneficial procedure.
According to the Indiana Donation Alliance Foundation organs that can be transplanted are the lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas and small intestine. The cornea/eye, skin, bone, tendons, heart valves and veins can also be donated.
Organs can be procured through a living or deceased donor.
“With dying or deceased donors, hospitals call us and let us know if there is medical potential for donation. We come, evaluate the patient, look for medical opportunity and if things are aligned, we see what recipients in the U.S. are suitable for those organs,” said Sam Davis, director of professional services and public affairs, Indiana Organ Procurement Organization. IOPO only acquires organs from deceased patients.
Although there is a national organ donor list and it’s possible a patient can receive an organ outside state lines, Hoosiers will most likely receive an organ from Indiana.
Hospitals able to perform transplants in Indiana are Clarian Health and St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis and Lutheran Hospital of Indiana in Ft. Wayne.
Davis states when his team receives an organ, it is put into the system and the patient best suited for that organ comes up on a list – hospitals caring for transplant candidates are then notified. Hospitals have a short period of time to notify IOPO if they will accept that organ or not. Davis and his staff continue down the donor list until a hospital accepts the organ.
The most ill patients are offered organs first.
To secure optimal transplantation, patients must be a “match” meaning complimentary blood type, organ size and the overall medical history of the donor must be acceptable. The lungs and heart of a smoker have been successfully transplanted.
Of all the organs able to be transplanted, kidneys are needed the most. In Indiana there’s an estimated 1,100 people who need an organ. Nine hundred or more need a kidney.
“If you need a heart or liver, you need it or you’ll die. But you can lose your kidney function and be on dialysis for years. The machine takes the place of the kidney until they are able to get that organ. That’s why the kidney numbers grow over years,” said Tim Taber, director of transplant nephrology for Clarian Transplant Institute.
Kidneys are also in such high demand due to diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. End-stage kidney disease is prevalent in both diseases.
Although the IOPO obtains organs, it’s up to the physician to determine if a patient is eligible. Those who are able to receive an organ must be healthy enough to get through the transplant surgery. Other surgeries, such as a coronary bypass, can be done prior to a transplant if a patient has other major health issues.
Taber states individuals from children to as old as 80-years-old can be a viable candidate for organ transplantation.
Organ transplant surgery is considered a major surgery. Increased technology and beneficial medications aid in organ rejection prevention after transplantation. Taber states many patients feel healthier shortly after surgeries.
While many patients wait on growing lists for organs, healthy individuals are encouraged to consider being a donor. Davis suggests making a decision that’s right for that individual, becoming educated on the process and discussing it with family members.
Those who choose to be a living donor must be deemed eligible by receiving medical tests, sessions with a psychologist, and understand post-operative care.
Whether one chooses to be a living or deceased organ donor, a healthy lifestyle is encouraged to ensure healthy organs and to keep one’s self off of transplantation lists.
Although trauma deaths are decreasing, those wanting to donate their organs should keep in mind hospitals and medical employees will not sacrifice a life or forego treatment of specified organ donors.
To get started one can do so when renewing drivers’ licenses or registering on a donor list.
“If you agree to go on the list to be saved by the gift of a stranger I would hope that people would be willing to give,” said Davis. “People in Indiana are very generous. Seventy four percent of all licensed drivers are organ donors and Indiana is second only to Utah in the number of licensed driver organ. People agree, being an organ donor is a good thing.”
For more information, call Clarian at (800) 382-4602, e-mail transplantinfo@clarian.org or visit www.clarian.org; Indiana Organ Procurement Organization at (888) 275-4676 or visit www.iopo.org. One can register to be a donor at Indiana Donation Alliance Foundation by visiting www.donatelifeindiana.org.
