Five Facts and Five Advantages of Organ Donation

An organ transplant is required when an individual's organs are deteriorating or functioning extremely poorly. A person's life can be prolonged and people suffering from chronic illnesses can have normal lives after receiving an organ transplant. A healthy organ is removed by surgeons from a donor who is not in need of it and given to a recipient who is. They can transplant organs such as the kidney, liver, heart, lungs, and more. Over time, there has been a noticeable increase in the need for organ donors. The requirement is increasing because there are more patients with end-stage organ failure than there used to be, and more of them are now eligible for organ transplants because of developments in transplantation. Anyone can register for organ donation at the national registry, or at the respective state-recognized transplant centers, or can register yourself as a potential donor by filling out the organ donation pledge form and getting enrolled in the registry of potential donors.

Five Facts and Five Advantages of Organ Donation

 

An organ transplant is required when an individual's organs are deteriorating or functioning extremely poorly. A person's life can be prolonged and people suffering from chronic illnesses can have normal lives after receiving an organ transplant. A healthy organ is removed by surgeons from a donor who is not in need of it and given to a recipient who is. They can transplant organs such as the kidney, liver, heart, lungs, and more.

Over time, there has been a noticeable increase in the need for organ donors. The requirement is increasing because there are more patients with end-stage organ failure than there used to be, and more of them are now eligible for organ transplants because of developments in transplantation. Anyone can register for organ donation at the national registry, or at the respective state-recognized transplant centers, or can register yourself as a potential donor by filling out the organ donation pledge form and getting enrolled in the registry of potential donors.

Types of Organ Donation

 

1)      Living Organ Donation: A living person can donate one kidney, a portion of their liver, or a portion of their pancreas during an organ transplant surgery. They must be in reasonably good health.

2)      Deceased Organ Donation: An organ may be donated in whole or in part at the time of the donor's passing if living organ donation is not an option. When a deceased person donates their organs, they are either declared brain dead in the hospital or are ventilated. Remember that organ donation from a deceased person can only occur once the patient has been certified brain dead and all measures to save them have been exhausted. A person is said to be brain stem dead when there is an irreversible loss of consciousness, brain stem reflexes are absent, and there is an irreversible loss of ability to breathe.

 Organ Donation: Facts

 

1)      Who is eligible to give an organ?

Being an organ donor is possible for almost everyone, at any age. A parent or guardian's approval is required for anyone under the age of eighteen.

A medical evaluation will be conducted to ascertain whether organs are suitable for donation after death. Organ donation would be prohibited by a number of diseases, including HIV infection, cancer that is rapidly spreading, and serious illnesses.

You may not be able to donate as a living donor if you have a major illness such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, kidney disease, or heart disease.

 

2)      Can I donate my organs while I'm still living?
It is possible to donate a liver lobe or a single kidney while person are still alive. Non-directed or altruistic donations are those made by those who wish to be living donors for unfamiliar person; these donations typically occur among family members or close friends.

3)      Does Donating Organs Affect Funeral and Burial Services?
No, following organ donation, nothing changes. Funeral arrangements and burial preparations can go exactly as they would have if the donor had not given their organs.

4)      How long can an organ survive after retrieved from the donor?

The average shelf life of an organ outside the body is:

• Lungs and heart: 4 to 6 hours
• Liver:  6–12 hours
• Kidney: Up to 30 hours
• Intestine: 6 hours
• Pancreas: 6 hours
  
  

5)      How long does it take to recover from organ transplant surgery?

       It can take two to six months to fully recuperate from organ transplant surgery, regardless of whether you are the recipient of the organs or a living donor. It is depending on the kind of transplant you underwent, could need to spend a few days to a few weeks in the hospital. Individual could require an additional helping hand at home and one to two months off from work.

 

Advantages of Organ Donation

• Organ donation not only saves lives but also enhances the quality of life of the recipient: Individuals who receive organ transplants have a statistically higher chance of living longer than those who require a transplant but choose not to obtain it. e.g., there is higher quality of life in kidney transplant patients due to fewer limitations on their daily activities than in those who continue on dialysis.
  
  
• Not one, but many people can be saved by one organ donor: Up to eight lives can be saved by a single deceased organ donor.

 

Ø  Preserve as many as eight lives.

Ø  Restore two people's sight.

Ø  Heal up to 75 burn and wound patients.

Ø  Support someone in reestablishing their face or hand.

 

• Organ donation can be a rewarding and positive experience: It is the noblest act of humanity. World Organ Donation Day (13^th August) inspires people to commit to organ donation after death. Become an organ donor and give someone one of the most precious gifts- The Gift of Life.
• A donor can have a normal life even after a transplant: If you have a healthy body, there will probably not be any specific dietary restrictions. After a kidney donation, the remaining kidney grow in size and takes over the job of purifying the blood. 
  
  

Thus, one of the biggest breakthroughs in contemporary medicine is organ transplantation. It gives people with life-threatening illnesses or accidents to their key organs, regardless of age, a second shot at life. Nearly everyone has the capacity to donate tissue or organs. There is no set age limit, religion, or ethnicity. Donors of organs can refer to specialists to determine which of their parts are suitable for transplantation and donation. At the time they become available, your organs and tissues are assessed by doctors for health evaluation.

If you have any questions regarding organ donation and how to go about it, you can check with our specialists at Ask a doctor, 24x7.