Once patient is admitted; all efforts are made to stabilize the patients. If all efforts fail, patient is pronounced brain-dead after evaluation, testing and documentation. Consent from the family is obtained for organ donation. In the mean time the organ donor is maintained on ventilator, stabilized with fluids, medications and undergoes numerous laboratory tests. Recipients are also identified for placement of organs. Surgical team are mobilized and coordinated to arrive at hospital for removal of organs and tissues.

After someone dies, organs are surgically removed as if the person were still alive with a single clean incision. Careful attention to incisions and scars is made so that he can still receive a traditional cremation. The surgeons always ensure that the donor is treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Only those organs and tissue specified by the donor or their family will be removed.

Organ donation is often an immediate and lasting consolation. It is often comforting to the family that even though their loved one has died, one or more persons can live on through their gift of life

As long as heart has oxygen, it continues to work. A mechanical ventilator provides enough oxygen to the heart to keep it working. Without this mechanical support it will stop beating. By giving brain dead patients oxygen making their heart beat with medication controlling their Blood Pressure, their organs continue to work. That is why brain dead patients can be organ donors. This donation of organs may not be possible if one dies outside the ICU. Without Intensive Care all brain death is followed by Cardiac arrest within minutes. Only eyes, skin and other tissues can be donated after the cardiac death

No. Coma is decrease in brain function and there is a chance that person may regain consciousness. Brain death is irreversible loss of brain function. There is no chance of recovery after brain death.

Brain death occurs when person’s brain has permanently stopped. Cardiac death is said to occur when heart stops beating. Both are legal declarations of death. But with modern technology the heart and lungs can be made to function through mechanical support even when brain function has completely and permanently ceased. Thus once brain death occurs; the person becomes a cadaver with a beating heart.

Doctors who treat patients in life and death situations have nothing to do with possible donation of their organs and tissues. Every effort is made to save that person’s life. Organ donation is not even considered till that person has died.

Four doctors from a panel recommended by government, carry out a series of tests to confirm that a patient is “brain stem dead”. The standards are very strict and are accepted medically and ethically all over the world. The team has to perform the brain stem death tests twice at the gap of 6 hrs.

Brain death usually results from a severe head injury or bleeding in the brain that causes all brain activity to stop. This can happen after a major road accident or brain hemorrhage due to a stroke. This also can happen in brain tumor.

Any person in good health if dies suddenly, possibly through an accident or even other causes like brain hemorrhage and who has been declared ‘brain dead’ can be an organ donor.

No. These vital organs need to be retrieved from a dead person immediately and can be preserved up to various lengths of time by preservation techniques. Heart and Lung can be preserved by 4-6 hours and kidneys 48 – 72 hours. Skin and bone may be preserved for 5 years or more.

It is possible to transplant many different organs like heart, lungs, pancreas, kidneys, intestines and liver; and tissues including cornea, heart valves, bone and cartilage, bone marrow, skin

When we lose the functioning of an organ like kidney or tissues like bone and skin it is possible put another person’s organ or tissue and with modern surgical techniques and drugs. This is gifting an organ after one ceases to need it any more. This known as transplantation and it is the “Gift of Life”

NO. It is pure donation and hence it becomes the noble act. However, the family is not charged for the investigations after the consent for organ donation is given.

No. The name and address of the recipient is not given to the donor family and vice versa

No. As per the priority criteria like age, blood group, waiting period, clinical status of the recipients the organs are given to the most needy and suitable recipient. In Maharashtra the Govt. has given guidelines to give the priority score to all the waiting recipients to distribute the organs. Money, race, religion are not the criteria for distribution

Yes. The body is given back to the relatives to perform the last rites after the retrieval of organs. This is different than body donation where the whole body is given to the anatomy dept. of the Medical College for the research purpose.

Yes. In India, The Human Organ Transplantation Act was passed in 1994 which mainly covers 3 areas. *It recognizes brain stem death *It regulates removal, storage and transplantation of organs for therapeutic purposes *It prevents commercial dealings in human organs. No human organ can be bought or sold.

Yes. As Brain death declaration can occur only in the ICU of the hospital. No vital organs can be retrieved if the death occurs at home. However, eyes can be retrieved up to 6 hrs, after the heart stops beating hence this could be done even if the individual dies at home.

The decision to use the organs depends on various medical criteria, not age alone. The doctors will decide at the time of death on what organs can be used A few guidelines based on age and organ donation criteria Upto 100 years- Corneas Upto 70 Years- Kidneys, Skin, Liver Upto 50 years- Heart, lungs Upto 40 years- Heart valves

Patients suffering from active cancer, HIV, active infection, or IV drug use, would absolutely rule out donation. Hep C patients may donate to Hep C patients.

Yes, just let your friends and family know about your decision.

Yes.

By telling your family you want to be an organ donor in the event of your death you can relieve them of the burden of having to make the decision at such a difficult time. So, tell them your decision, let them know you want to be an organ donor.

People who drink, smoke, or have a unhealthy diet can still donate. There is every chance that some of your organs are suitable for donation.