Organ transplant is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (the organ donor) and placing it in another person (the recipient). Many diseases, including heart disease, cirrhosis, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and hepatitis, can lead to organ failure. Likewise, injury and birth defects can also cause organ failure.
Organ donation is a process in which organs are obtained legally from the body of a donor while they are alive or dead. It is done with the consent of the living person or in the event of death with the approval of the close family members.
Organs for transplant include – kidney, liver, lungs, pancreas, heart and intestine, and skin transplants for the face and body are also very common these days. Of these, kidney transplants are usually undertaken as the most common form of organ transplant and see a high organ transplant success rate.
Following are the certain facts and information that you should know about organ transplantation. Have a look!
- With recent advancement in the medical field, people from all ages and with any medical history can become donors. However, the final call for organ donation is taken by the team of doctors after the thorough analysis of the donor’s medical condition.
- Everyone waiting for an organ transplant is treated fairly. Target medical standards determine how donated organs are allocated to patients on the transplant waiting list.
- Kidneys can be preserved for 20 to 24 hours; Heart and lungs can be preserved for 4 hours; Livers can be preserved for 10 to 12 hours; Intestines can be preserved for approximately 6 to 8 hours; Pancreas can be preserved for 4 to 6 hours.
- No transplant team will approach you until all the rescue efforts of the doctors have failed and you have been declared a brain dead. In this case, also they can not take any step for obtaining your organs unless your family grants the permission, even if you have a donor card.
- In deceased organ donation, you can donate not only your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, small intestine,and pancreas, but also your corneas,skin, bone tissue including tendons and cartilage, blood vessels and heart valves.
- If you have just donated your organs, you cannot donate your blood because after donating an organ you will be on high medication and a person under immunosuppression isn’t healthy enough to donate blood.
A person requiring an organ transplant must be placed on the waiting list managed by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO). Once registered, the recipient must wait for a matching donor to arrive. Once an appropriate donor is identified on the basis of medical compatibility, the recipient is informed about his/her identity and the fact that the transplant can now take place.
There are numerous NGOs and hospitals are existing in India which can help you if you wish to become an organ donor.However, if you’re interested in becoming a donor, please register your wish in https://www.organindia.org/pledge-to-be-an-organ-donor/
Thanks for reading!