- Q. How does a person become an organ donor?
A. By simply signing the back of your drivers license or an Organ Donor Card and
by telling your family of your wishes. Your body becomes the property of your legal
next of kin at the time of your death. Family members make the final decision at
the time of your death.
- Q. Can I donate my organs and tissues, then donate my body to science for the purpose
of research?
A. No. Research facilities want whole bodies for the purpose of study, therefore
one must make the decision between organ donation and research donation. You may
call the Nebraska Anatomical Board at 559-6249 and they will provide you with more
information on how to donate your body for research.
- Q. We always hear that there is a real need for organ donors, but what are the numbers?
How many people are waiting for transplants right now?
A. Currently, the UNOS national patient waiting list for organ transplants contains
over 71,000 patients. More than 400 patients are waiting in Nebraska. On average,
more than 12 people die every day while waiting for a transplant.
- Q. How long does the average transplant patient wait for a donor?
A. Waiting times are different for each organ and vary anywhere from three months
to two years depending on the patient's blood type, body size, and status while
on the waiting list for heart, lung, liver, intestine and pancreas. People can wait
up to 10 years in some instances for kidneys. Approximately one-third of waiting
patients die while waiting for an organ to become available.
- Q. If I have agreed to donate my organs and tissues in the event of my death, will
medical professionals still take every step to save my life?
A. Yes. First and foremost, medical professionals are life savers. In addition,
the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act states: "the physician who certifies death…shall
not participate in the procedures for removing or transplanting…" This assures
there is no conflict of interest for the physician caring for the patient. It is
a different team of physicians who cares for irreversibly brain-injured patients
than for the organ transplant recipients.
- Q. Is my decision to donate confidential?
A. Every attempt is made to assure the confidentiality of the donor, the donor's
family and the transplant recipient. However, each institution and organ procurement
agency has policies, which are evolving out of frequent requests of donor and recipient
families who wish to meet. In a mutually consensual situation with appropriate legally
signed consents, these requests can sometimes be met.
- Q. Can I sell my organs and/or tissues?
A. No. Federal Public Law 98-507 prohibits the buying or selling or organs and tissues.
- Q. If I die in a hospital that doesn't do transplants, can I still donate?
A. Organ and tissue recovery agencies will travel to any hospital to recover and
transport organs to transplant facilities.
- Q . Are all the organs and tissues donated used as requested by the donor and family?
A. Yes, unless the organs and/or tissues have been found not to be suitable for
transplantation (usually due to disease or injury). If family has given consent,
organs not suitable for transplantation may be used for valuable research.
- Q. What are the age limits on organ donation?
A. Each organ donor is evaluated on an individual basis. The oldest cornea donor
for research in Nebraska was 104 years old. Organ donors: 0-85 years
Tissue donors: 0-75 years Q. I have poor eyesight. Can I still donate my eyes? A.
Yes. Poor vision is usually a disease of another part of the eye other than the
cornea. Your cornea may be suitable for transplantation. If you have diabetes, retinal
disease or other eye diseases, your eyes still can be valuable for research. Q.
There seems to be a public perception that some patients, such as celebrities, don't
wait as long for donor organs. Is there any truth to that? A. No. Organs are allocated
to the sickest person, with the most waiting time accrued, that matches the donor's
blood type and body size, waiting at the transplant center in closest proximity
to the donor that becomes available. This is under revision at present, as healthcare
professionals strive to make the allocation system more patient-driven system, and
access, geographically more equitable. In 1993, Robert Redford's son waited five
months for the first liver and another two months for the second. He was a higher
status the second time. Mickey Mantle again was the highest status patient that
matched the donated organ in his region at the time of his transplant. UNOS is overseen
and audited by (HCFA) Federal Government to ensure a fair and equitable distribution
of organs.
Q. What are some of the efforts being done nationally to make the allocation system
more patient-driven and not so transplant center specific? A . UNOS committees work
on revising allocation systems as patients oftentimes choose to be transplanted
at centers outside of their state of residence, often at transplant centers with
high success rates, but lower population sizes. Therefore, there is a smaller donor
pool from which to receive receive organs. The intent of the new allocation system
would make organs more equally accessible to patients no matter where they choose
to be transplanted. Q. When you talk about competition for the few organs that become
available, how many transplant centers are in the United States? A . There are 261
transplant centers. Many centers have multiple organ transplant departments.
- 238 Kidney transplant programs
- 110 Liver transplant programs
- 117 Pancreas transplant programs
- 20 Pancreas-Islet Cell transplant programs
- 32 Intestine transplant programs
- 132 Heart transplant programs
- 80 Heart-Lung transplant programs
74 Lung transplant programs Q. Where and what types of organ transplants are performed
in Nebraska? A. Bryan Memorial Hospital, Lincoln........... Heart and lung The Nebraska
Medical Center, Omaha.......... Liver, small bowel, lung, kidney, pancreas, heart
The Nebraska Medical Center transplant program is among the world's busiest and
most successful. In addition, cornea and bone transplants are being performed daily
at about 11 Nebraska hospitals. The Nebraska Medical Center Bone Marrow Transplant
Program is the third largest and busiest bone marrow transplant center in the world.
Q . How do I become a donor? A. The easiest way to become a donor is to fill out
a donor card and be sure to inform your next-of-kin of your decision. Q. Is there
an age limit on being a donor? A. No. Each potential donor is reviewed on a case
by case basis. Q. If I had cancer, can I still be a donor? A. For individuals with
a past history of cancer (this generally means being cancer free for many years),
it is possible to become a donor. Each case is given a full medical evaluation to
determine the health of the donor at their time of death. Q. How do I become a living
donor? A. If you are wishing to be a living-related donor, please contact your relative's
physician to discuss the possibility. Q. If I have Lupus can I still be a donor?
A. Yes. Lupus does not immediately exclude you from donation. Your complete medical
history will be reviewed at the time of your death in order to determine the health
of your individual organs. Q. What if I want to donate my whole body? A. You need
to contact the curator's office at a medical school. Q. I am a diabetic, can I still
be an organ donor? A. Possibly. This would depend on the type of diabetes and the
amount of time the individual was being treated for it. Again, any issues of medical
suitability would be determined by a medical evaluation at the time of death. Q.
I have hepatitis, can I still be a donor? A. A past history or exposure to hepatitis
does not automatically exclude a person from being a donor. Your medical history
would be evaluated at the time of death to determine whether you are eligible to
be a donor. Q. If I were a donor, would there be any cost to my family or estate?
A. No. The OPO covers the costs of the transplantation procedures. You or your insurance
company is responsible for your hospital bills prior to your death. Your next-of-kin
or estate are responsible for the funeral expenses. Q. I have tested positive for
HIV, am I still able to be an organ donor? A. Due to the risks of disease transmission,
UNOS policy excludes the use of donors who have tested positive for HIV. Q. Who
can give consent for donation? A. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, the
legal next-of-kin, spouse, adult child, parents and sibling (in this order). Q.
How is the body reconstructed after bone is removed? A. Prosthetic devices are used
to replace bones removed in the recovery process and eye caps are inserted following
eye donation. Q. What are the benefits of tissue transplantation? A . Tissue transplants
enhance the quality of life of the recipient, except for skin, which saves more
lives than all tissues and organs combined. Listed below are some of the ways tissue
is used to help recipients:
- Skin grafts for burn victims.
- Reconstruction of shattered limbs to prevent amputation.
- Fusing of spinal defects to reduce pain.
- Replacement of benign cystic bone defects to improve mobility.
- Replacement of cancerous bone tumors to prevent amputation.
- Straighten and strengthen backs distorted by scoliosis.
- Replacement of hip bones to restore mobility.
- Dental and reconstruction surgery to restore normal facial appearance.
- Prevention of blindness.
- Restoration of sight.
- Heart by-pass surgery through use of saphenous veins.
- Restoration of blood flow through use of saphenous veins.
- Replacement of defective heart valves.
- Repair damaged ligaments, cartilage and tendons for improved mobility.