Lecture on Organ Donation
Organ Donation encompasses so many things. Organs that can be donated include heart, liver, pancreas, lungs and kidneys. Some of the Tissues that can be donated include corneas, skin, bones, bone marrow, connective tissue; and blood and blood vessels. Complete body also can be donated.
Any healthy, mentally alert and physically fit male or Female of age from 18 to 60 years, having Haemoglobin more than 12.5 grams, weighing more than 45 Kg can donate blood regularly once every 3 months. Healthy person can also donate bone marrow. Blood or bone marrow can be donated for the use of any person whether the person is related to donor or not. Other things that can be donated when one is alive are part of liver (as the few segments that are donated will regenerate after a period of time), skin from thighs, one of the two kidneys (as one kidney is capable of maintaining the body functions) and a portion of pancreas (as half of the pancreas is adequate for sustaining pancreatic functions). As per Transplantation of Human Organ Act 1994, living person can donate these things with ones own free will without pressure, inducement, influence or allurement to (i) immediate blood relations (brother, sister, parents & children) OR (ii) any person for whom donor possesses special affection, attachments, or some special reason. Nothing else can be donated when one is alive.
Nearly 98 to 99 % deaths are because of stopping of heart-lung function. This is normal death. Death also can occur from cessation of brain functioning. This is typically seen with patients having severe head injury, massive stroke, brain tumors, brain hypoxia, and as a complication of neurosurgery. In this case heart and lungs can continue to work if artificial life supporting machine (respirator) is used to keep heart beating. In such brain dead person heart and lungs stop functioning as soon as life supporting machine is removed. Even with life supporting machine heart can not continue for more than two days. Normally heart is kept beating only for removing organs needed for donation.
After normal death, eyes and skin of such dead person can be donated even if deceased has not filled any pledge card. Skin or Corneas from eyes so received can be used by any other person whether related or not to donor. Eye donation should take place at the earliest but within 6 hours (within 4 hours in hot climate). Call nearest Eye bank immediately. In Mumbai one can also call on hotline 1919 or Tarun Mitra Mandal coordinator on 24922897 or 9869181675. Skin donation is possible presently only from hospital or home in Mumbai and should take place within 12 to 24 hours after death. For this call LTMG (Sion) Hospital skin bank (Tel no 24076381). Skin donation from home is possible provided the relatives of deceased person can provide a single bed or table for removal of skin. Brain dead person with heart beating can donate all organs (except brain) & tissues before heart stops beating. Complete Body Donation is possible after normal death or brain death if only skin and/or eyes are removed.
In reality organs are donated not by the deceased person but by the next kin. Pledge card has no meaning unless ones next kin has a desire to permit this donation. Hence convincing about organ donation to the next kin is most important. Filling of Pledge card for organ donation is not essential but is desirable as it makes your desire known to others. Filling of organ donation card by all family members together is more desirable.
For body donation one has to fill the donation form prior to death and submit it to the hospital where body is to be donated. In absence of this, nearest kin will have to make affidavit to that effect. Nearest relatives will have to take body (within 6 to 7 hours) to the hospital, where body donation form is registered and that too only during working time. After working hours it would have to be kept in the mortuary for over night and handed over to anatomy department on next working day.
For more details on Organ donation OR for 1 hour lecture contact Shri Gadre Chintamani , Phone (022) 25563690, 9869002871