FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ORGAN DONATION

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A DONOR?

The one various that many individuals need to proceed dwelling is for others to donate part of their physique. Thus, the sick will be capable of save their lives and/or get well their health. Deciding to be a donor means being keen to carry out an act of altruism and solidarity.

WHAT ORGANS AND TISSUES CAN BE DONATED?

The organs that may be donated are: the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas, the center, the lungs and the gut.

The tissues that may be donated are: corneas, pores and skin, bone, cartilage and tendons, blood vessels (arteries and veins), coronary heart valves, blood and hematopoietic progenitors (bone marrow, blood peripheral and umbilical twine blood) and the amniotic membrane of the placenta.

You is usually a dwelling donor or after dying.

You may also donate the physique to science. When an efficient organ donation happens, it's not suitable with a donation to science, as a result of the mandatory conservation of the physique can't be carried out. Should you want to donate your physique, you will need to contact the College of Medication, with the Division of Human Anatomy (881 812 301, from 8 a.m. to three p.m., on weekdays).

CAN YOU DONATE AN ORGAN OR TISSUE WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE?

Sure. Dwelling donors are those that donate a double organ, akin to a kidney, a part of the liver, pancreas, or lung; or a tissue, akin to blood, bone marrow, and umbilical twine.

Within the case of a dwelling organ donation, the transplant recipients are virtually at all times direct kinfolk of the donors (dad and mom, siblings, kids, and so on.).

The kidney, not like the opposite organs (coronary heart, lungs, pancreas), might be obtained from dwelling and wholesome donors, as a result of we've got two and we are able to stay simply as properly with one kidney as with two kidneys. The extraction of one of many two kidneys {that a} human being has, like the remainder of the surgical interventions, has a really low threat.

The blood that we transfuse at all times comes from dwelling and wholesome residents who voluntarily and periodically donate.

To donate an organ while you're nonetheless alive, you have to be of authorized age and be in good bodily and psychological health. Spanish laws ensures that each one the rights of each the donor and the recipient are fulfilled and that it's voluntary, free and altruistic. As well as, the legislation stipulates that the donation needs to be reviewed by an Ethics Committee and that the donor at all times has to ratify his determination within the Civil Registry.

WHAT IS BONE MARROW?

The bone marrow is the spongy tissue situated contained in the flat bones (pelvis, sternum,?) that's answerable for producing and containing the hematopoietic progenitors, the stem cells of all blood cells. The uncontrolled development or malfunction of any of them causes varied illnesses (leukemia, immunodeficiencies and marrow failure, amongst others).

Transplantation of hematopoietic progenitors permits the remedy of those illnesses by changing the faulty cells with regular ones, coming from a wholesome donor. The transplant can solely be carried out if there's a wholesome donor who has a excessive diploma of compatibility with the affected person, akin to that between siblings who've inherited the identical histocompatibility antigens. However roughly 70% of the sufferers who require a transplant should not have a suitable relative and may solely be cured if a non-relative donor is situated in worldwide registries containing thousands and thousands of potential altruistic voluntary donors. In Spain the registry is known as REDMO. A 3rd various is the usage of the progenitors from the placenta and umbilical twine blood that's usually discarded.

WHO CAN BE A BONE MARROW DONOR?

Any wholesome one who needs, between the ages of 18 and 55, can enter REDMO by way of the closest Donor Middle. Whether or not or not he will get to donate will resolve whether or not he's suitable with one of many many sufferers who, everywhere in the world, are actually and will likely be sooner or later within the technique of looking for a donor of unrelated hematopoietic progenitors.

There are two procedures for donating hematopoietic progenitors: one by puncture by way of the posterior iliac crests and one other by way of a machine that extracts the progenitors from the blood, which might be carried out within the referral hospital closest to the donor. They're protected procedures during which sufficient anesthesia or analgesia measures are adopted. Any inconvenience they could trigger is sort of at all times outweighed by the satisfaction of understanding that the affected person is being given a second probability.

WHERE CAN I BECOME A BONE MARROW DONOR?

In Galicia, the Reference Middle for Bone Marrow Donors is the Transfusion Middle of Galicia. Preliminary info might be obtained in its 10 Cellular Items, distributed each day all through the Galician geography, in its 7 blood donation factors, situated within the following hospitals: Complexo Hospitalario da Coruña, Hospital Arquitecto Marcide de Ferrol, Hospital Lucus Augusti de Lugo, Complexo Hospitalario de Ourense, Provincial Hospital of Pontevedra, Hospital Nicolás Peña de Vigo and within the amenities of the Transfusion Middle of Galicia itself on the South College Campus of Santiago de Compostela (Avda. Monte da Condesa, s/ n, 15706).  individuals may name the donor service quantity (900 100 828), from the place they are going to obtain official documentation and detailed explanations.

WHERE DO THE ORGANS AND TISSUES THAT ARE TRANSPLANTED COME FROM?

A lot of the organs and tissues which are transplanted in Spain and in Europe come from deceased folks.

WHO CAN BE AN ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR AFTER HIS DEATH?

Organ and tissue donors might be donors after their dying by all individuals who want to take action and underneath the suitable circumstances. Anybody can grow to be a donor, masking the donor card and speaking her need to her kinfolk. A priori all folks might be donors on the time of dying, the medical groups will consider and resolve whether or not or not the organs are appropriate for transplantation.

WHY CAN'T MOST OF THE DECEASED BE ORGAN DONORS?

In an effort to be an organ donor, you will need to die in a hospital, often in an intensive care unit. It's vital that dying be attributable to irreversible mind lesions and that the authorized standards for mind dying are met, which, as we'll clarify, are very strict, or attributable to unrecoverable cardiac arrest. With these necessities, solely between 1 and a couple of% of all those that die in a hospital might be organ donors.

As well as, they have to not undergo from any communicable illness (critical infections which are tough to deal with and most cancers) that would pose a threat to the potential recipients of their organs and tissues.

The interview with the households can be carried out, to know the opinion of the deceased and formally request the donation. That's the reason it is extremely vital that our household and mates learn about our need to be donors.

In these circumstances of dying from unnatural causes (visitors accident, suicide, assault, and so on.) a judicial authorization is required.

WHAT IS BRAIN DEATH?

Demise is a singular and irreversible truth that may be reached in two methods: by irreversible cessation of cardiorespiratory perform (coronary heart and lung) or by irreversible cessation of mind perform (dying of the mind).

Mind dying is a medically and legally acknowledged prognosis of dying that happens when blood circulation to the mind is stopped for an prolonged time frame. With out oxygen, the mind begins to die and there may be an irreversible cessation of all its features. In these circumstances, the organs can perform for some time if the deceased particular person is related to a synthetic respirator and medicated to keep up the center price. Nevertheless, coronary heart and lung perform stop if the ventilator is disconnected and medicine is withdrawn. They can even cease after hours or days even with the respirator and medicine on attributable to lack of mind stimulation. The declaration of mind dying needs to be dominated by three totally different medical doctors who study the affected person individually.

DOES BRAIN DEATH HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH COMA?

It's utterly totally different from vegetative coma. There are lots of individuals who can stay in a coma for a few years and will by no means regain consciousness, however nonetheless have some type of mind exercise and will even be capable of breathe on their very own.

Nevertheless, the mind useless particular person has no mind exercise and doesn't breathe when the ventilator is eliminated, as a result of they're useless.

WHO DIAGNOSES BRAIN DEATH?

The standards for figuring out mind dying are very strict medically and legally. The Spanish Transplant Legislation requires that the mind dying of an individual be recognized by three medical doctors who have to be totally different from those that will take part within the extraction or transplant: they have to be two medical doctors from the crew that cares for the affected person (Unit of Intensive Care) and a neurologist or neurosurgeon.

They examine the absence of mind response to totally different stimuli and carry out confirmatory assessments of full destruction of the mind.

After the prognosis of mind dying, the kinfolk are knowledgeable of the dying and are requested in regards to the organ donation of the deceased.

WHAT IS PRESUMPTIVE CONSENT?

Spanish laws establishes that any Spanish citizen who doesn't specific his opposition to organ and tissue donation whereas alive will likely be a donor upon his dying if he's legitimate for it. That is known as presumed consent. Nevertheless, the apply in Spain has at all times obeyed knowledgeable consent; that's, a proper request for the donation to the household of the deceased.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY FAMILY OPPOSES THE DONATION?

The household doesn't authorize or deny, however is meant to have data of the final will of the deceased and makes it clear.

Normally, even when the deceased has the donor card, if the household objects, the donation won't be efficient, for the reason that donor card just isn't a authorized doc, not like advance directives or prior directions.

Prior directions are a authorized doc during which an individual of authorized age, succesful and free, expresses his will prematurely about these medical actions that he needs or doesn't wish to obtain, and in regards to the vacation spot of the physique, organs and tissues so that this be revered and fulfilled in the intervening time during which, attributable to sure circumstances, you can't specific it personally

DOES IT HELP THE FAMILY TO KNOW THE OPINION ON THE DONATION OF THE DECEASED?

This can be a transcendental problem, as a result of on some events the kinfolk of the deceased usually are not conscious of the deceased's opinion on the donation whereas they had been alive and because of this they've difficulties in making the choice.

Ignorance by the kinfolk of the needs of the deceased concerning the donation is the primary argument for household refusals. It is extremely vital that our dearest and closest folks know our need to donate, since medical doctors will at all times seek the advice of it, as a result of households undertake to meet the need of the deceased particular person, in the event that they realize it.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT DONATION?

Should you change your thoughts, tear up the donor card and inform your loved ones.

COULD I EXCLUDE A SPECIFIC ORGAN OR TISSUE FROM THE DONATION?

Sure. You possibly can specify which organs and tissues you wish to donate and which you do not, understanding that your needs will likely be adopted.

WILL THE ATTITUDE OF DOCTORS CHANGE WHEN SEEING ME AT A CRITICAL MOMENT IF THEY KNOW I AM A DONOR?

This circumstance is not possible, emergency medical doctors and important care models at all times work making an attempt to avoid wasting the lives of sufferers.

After the dying of an individual, transplant coordinators and medical doctors attempt to save the lives of different sufferers who haven't any different probability of remedy.

WHAT CHANGES DOES DONATION CAUSE IN THE EXTERNAL ASPECT OF THE PERSON?

It doesn't have an effect on the exterior look in any respect. The elimination of organs and tissues is a surgery. It's carried out within the working room by a crew of specialists. As soon as the intervention is completed, the cuts made are sutured as in another kind of intervention, the physique is washed and wrapped in a shroud. All the time with the utmost respect for the physique of the deceased.

DOES THE DONATION INTERFERE IN THE FUNERAL OR IN THE BURIAL?

No approach. The official time of dying is identical, whether or not or not there was a donation. The household can eliminate the physique of the deceased underneath the identical circumstances as in the event that they weren't a donor. The funeral and burial or cremation might be carried out with out issues or delays, in any metropolis in Spain or overseas.

WHAT DO RELIGIONS THINK ABOUT ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION?

Most religions spoke out in favor of organ donation. The Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Hindu religions are in favor of the donation.

The Catholic Church expressed clearly and forcefully that organ donation is the supreme act of charity, generosity and love that one particular person can do for one more. There are quite a few statements by the popes and Catholic bishops in favor of the donation. The newest popes, in several encyclicals and different paperwork, encourage all Catholics to specific themselves in favor of donation whereas alive. Bishops and clergymen preach of their dioceses and parishes the necessity for organ donation to avoid wasting lives or forestall struggling in folks with critical health issues.

Anglicans and Protestants don't formulate any downside and advocate that every particular person resolve in conscience to be a donor or not.

Amongst evangelicals there is no such thing as a non secular prejudice towards donation.

The Jewish faith is favorable to organ donation and the Muslim faith doesn't put any obstacles to donation both.

Jehovah's Witnesses, who emphatically specific their opposition to blood transfusions, should not have, quite the opposite, any opposition to organ donation, nor to transplantation, so long as they're assured that they won't obtain through the operation no transfusion. At current, this situation might be completely assumed within the majority of kidney transplants.

WHAT LEGISLATION REGULATES DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION?

In Spain, the laws on donation and transplantation contains Legislation 30/79 and Royal Decrees 2070/1999 and 411/1996, which develop, respectively, actions associated to the usage of human organs and tissues.

On the regional degree, Decree 217/97 regulates all actions associated to the usage of human tissues within the space of ​​the Autonomous Neighborhood of Galicia.

CAN THE FAMILY OF A DONOR KNOW THE NAME OF THE TRANSPLANTED PATIENT OR A TRANSPLANTEE THE NAME OF THEIR DONOR?

No. The Spanish Transplant Legislation requires anonymity in donation, in order that medical doctors can't inform the kinfolk of a donor who underwent a transplant, nor a transplant affected person who was the donor.

WHY SHOULD I BECOME A DONOR?

Advances in drugs permit transplants to be one other remedy. The largest downside proper now could be acquiring a enough variety of organs and tissues to transplant all of the sufferers who want it, as a result of there are nonetheless sufferers who die ready for an organ. All assist is required to unravel the organ scarcity.

The easiest way to make sure that there are extra usable organs and tissues is to grow to be a donor and encourage others to take action.

WHAT IS THE DONOR CARD?

It's a doc that's requested and formalized in life with out authorized dedication. Its usefulness is to specific in writing the testimony of the need to donate. Nevertheless, an important factor is that your loved ones is aware of your want to be a donor, for the reason that medical doctors will at all times seek the advice of you and can be capable of endorse the want to donate formally expressed a while in the past.

WHERE CAN I GET A DONOR CARD?

It may be obtained somewhere else. It's at all times free and having it doesn't suggest a definitive dedication. It may be canceled, at any time when the proprietor needs. It's issued by public establishments (health ministries, regional and hospital transplant coordinators, health facilities, nationwide transplant group, and so on.) or non-public (associations for kidney sufferers, liver, coronary heart, and lung transplant recipients, and so on.).

IS THERE ANY ADVANTAGE FOR DONORS?

No, there is no such thing as a materials benefit. Spanish laws establishes that each one donations have to be voluntary, free, non-profit and nameless and no monetary compensation or another kind might be obtained. The best compensation is the satisfaction of understanding that you've the likelihood to assist different folks.

HOW CAN I BECOME A DONOR?

Cowl an organ and tissue donation brochure along with your information and ship it by publish, with out the necessity for a stamp. It will also be performed by telephone or on-line.